Jakarta, 27 July 2021 -- PT Bank Negara Indonesia (Persero) Tbk or BNI has started the distribution of various Social Assistance to be received early by the Beneficiary Family (KPM) throughout Indonesia. This acceleration step is an effort to support government programs related to efforts to accelerate the distribution of social assistance, both the Family Hope Program (PKH) and the Basic Food Program or Non-Cash Food Assistance (BPNT) during the current Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) period. "Our efforts to accelerate the distribution of social assistance are a follow-up to the previous President's directives and the results of the ministerial-level Coordination Meeting chaired by the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs & Investment on 22 July," said the President Director of BNI, Royke Tumilaar in Jakarta, Monday (26 July 2021).
All levels of BNI's management are committed to continuing to prioritize the acceleration of the disbursement of the PKH Social Assistance Program, the Basic Food Program and other Government Programs. Accelerating the disbursement of social assistance can certainly help the government strengthen the social safety net for the community. In distributing the Social Assistance, BNI is ready to collaborate with the Provincial, Regency or City Government, Social Service, Covid Task Force, Security Apparatus, and Social Assistance Assistant.
The Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs has assigned BNI to distribute the Basic Food Program to 5.7 million KPM with a total fund of Rp 9.46 trillion. BNI was also tasked with distributing the Social Assistance PKH to 4.1 million KPM with a total fund of Rp 7.05 trillion. KPM recipients of the assistance are spread across 108 cities and regencies. "Currently all these funds have been directly channeled to the KPM account & virtual wallet according to their designation," added Royke.
Acceleration Step
BNI made efforts to accelerate in various ways, including providing information to KPM to immediately disburse all social assistance that had been received, namely for the basic food program or BPNT in 3 (three) stages at once starting from Stage VII, VIII and up to IX. In addition, the 1 (one) Phase PKH Social Assistance was also distributed. Other efforts include reminding e-Warong or Agen46 social assistance distributors to ensure that basic food stocks are available at reasonable prices, ensuring the readiness of EDC machines at e-warongs or Agen46, ensuring BNI ATMs throughout Indonesia can operate 24 hours with a stock of money that is always maintained, and reminding to remain disciplined in carrying out health protocols (5M) when BNI or KPM officers transact at e-Warong or Agen46 or at ATMs.
Royke added, BNI has prepared more than 51 thousand of Agen46 social assistance distributors and more than 17 thousand ATM machines that can be used as social assistance transactions by KPM. "We urge all KPM recipients of social assistance to immediately disburse all social assistance that has entered their respective accounts or wallets, both the Basic Food Program which has entered 3 (three) stages and or the PKH Social Assistance which has entered one stage. Both at e-warong, Agen46, and BNI ATMs spread throughout Indonesia," concluded Royke. Since the beginning, BNI and Himbara have carried out the function as Agents of Development and are ready to succeed in the distribution of Social Assistance from the Ministry of Social Affairs, including during the PPKM period as it is today. This effort to accelerate the distribution of Social Assistance and other Government Programs carried out by BNI is a form of BNI's contribution and concern, considering that during the PPKM period like today, people are asked to stay at home. Therefore, accelerating the distribution of social assistance is an integral part of the government's strategy to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.