Bengkulu's cash assistance allocation decreased in 2023: Ministry

Bengkulu (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Finance, through the Directorate General of Treasury (DJPb) of Bengkulu Province, stated that the allocation of cash assistance (BLT) of village funds in Bengkulu decreased in 2023.

Head of the Regional Office of Bengkulu DJPb Syarwan informed that in 2022, BLT allocation from village funds reached Rp400 billion. Meanwhile, the allocation in 2023 only reached Rp250 billion from a ceiling of more than Rp1 trillion.

"in 2022, BLT allocation is a minimum of 40 percent, and this year, BLT is only a maximum of 25 percent and a minimum of 10 percent of the village funds' ceiling," he said here on Sunday.

Syarwan explained that the decrease in the allocation was caused by the COVID-19 pandemic that has deemed to have passed the critical phase.

Apart from the decrease in the allocation, the number of beneficiaries also has been reduced. The reduction was made since the government made sure that only those who are categorized as extremely poor to receive the assistance sourced from village funds.



Regarding the data collection of extremely poor residents carried out by the local governments, the data will be recorded by district governments through the Online Monitoring SPAN (OMSPAN) application.

Thus, the assistance is distributed after villages complete the data collection of beneficiaries no later than May 12 this year, he added.

Syarwan asked all villages to comply with the provisions of the use of the budget, which are in accordance with the regulation issued by the Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration.

It is because the regulation is a guideline for village governments in utilizing village funds in 2023.

In 2023, the central government is giving special attention to food security. From village funds' ceiling of more than Rp1 trillion, at least 20 percent must be allotted for food.

Thus, the total special budget for food security is around Rp200 billion.

"The rest is for government activities, development, community, empowerment, and disasters," he added.