Jakarta, 10 May 2020 --- In the midst of COVID-19 pandemic that requires every Indonesian citizen to implement preventive protocols, from wearing masks, keeping a distance, to limiting activities in a crowd, any support for economically weak community groups is crucial. The support is increasingly urgent to be distributed because the impact of this outbreak has pressured the economy, reduced the company's production activities, and resulted in many layoffs or at least many employees were laid off.
To that end, government is determined to hasten the distribution of various social assistance through several ministries, including the distribution of social assistance fund for Keluarga Harapan Program (PKH) by the Ministry of Social Affairs. BNI became the pioneer of digital banking partner in the success of PKH fund distribution. Since 2016, together with other banks that are members of the State-Owned Bank Association (Himbara), BNI has continued to channel this PKH fund, including at this time, despite the pressure of COVID-19 outbreak.
In 2016, BNI distributed PKH fund to 1 million family 1 million beneficiary families (KPM) with a value of Rp 313 billion. Then, in 2017, BNI channeled fund to 2.7 million KPM worth Rp 5 trillion, in 2018 to 3.7 million KPM worth Rp 7.1 trillion, and in 2019 distribution of PKH fund by BNI touched 4.1 million KPM or equivalent Rp 12.4 trillion.
"Then, since the COVID-19 outbreak began in Indonesia, from the beginning of this year, until last April, BNI has channeled social assistance fund to 3.9 million KPM worth Rp 5.4 trillion, which are distributed to 411 regencies or cities in Indonesia," said the Institutional Relations Director of BNI, Sis Apik Wijayanto.
BNI also distributes other government assistance, namely non-cash food support (BPNT), since 2017. Throughout 2017, BNI distributed BPNT to 717 thousand KPM or Rp. 948 billion. Then, in 2018, BNI's BPNT distribution jumped to Rp. 8.4 trillion to 6.3 million KPM, in 2019 it touched 6.9 million KPM or Rp. 9.1 trillion, and in 2020, until April, BNI had distributed BPNT to 6.4 million KPM or Rp. 4.6 trillion, spread in 123 cities or regencies.
"In times like today, when delivering social assistance, BNI always implements health protocols in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. For expansion this year, BNI has been tasked with distributing in 112 regencies or cities throughout Indonesia. This is reinforced by its online-based distribution system, so as to minimize meetings or crowds," Sis Apik said.
BNI is one of the first banks to declare that it is ready to become the digital banking partner for programs related to government subsidies or social assistance, including PKH and BPNT social support.
BNI also introduced the ease of using banking technology to sharpen the distribution of PKH social support so that it could be done non-cash (cashless) and meet the 6T principles as expected by the government, namely on target, on quality, on quantity, on price, on time, and on proper administration. The solution provided by BNI is the creation of combo card (one card with two functions, namely saving function and wallet function), which are currently known as KKS (kartu keluarga sejahtera – prosperous family card), therefore social support and subsidies in any form whatsoever, both money and goods/natura, really reaches the beneficiary family.
To make it easier for the public to conduct transactions with the social assistance card or KKS, BNI initiates to digitize e-Warong KUBE to become bank agent or Agen46 by placing the bank's electronic data capture (EDC) machine as a card acceptance tool at stalls around KPM. In such way, the community economic empowerment will go hand in hand with various social assistance programs or subsidies implemented by government. This program is also accurate because technology requires that KPM spend social assistance funds only for purchasing groceries, not cigarettes or cell phone credit.
The successful distribution of PKH social assistance through the KKS has had a positive impact on the community, including the creation of a culture of non-cash transactions (cashless society) and widespread financial literacy. So, in its development, this success leads the government to entrust the distribution of other non-cash assistance through ATMs or e-Warong KUBE, such as BPNT, in collaboration with Bulog.
Currently, the digitization program for the distribution of government social assistance which was originally initiated by BNI has run well and in its development has involved Himbara.
For more information, please contact:
Corporate Secretary BNI
Phone: 021-5728387
Email: bni@bni.co.id