137,049 disadvantaged families to get cheap rice

137,049 disadvantaged families to get cheap rice

JAKARTA (JP): A total of 137,049 disadvantaged families in the
city are to receive cheap rice for six months as compensation
from the government for the recent fuel price hike, Jakarta
Governor Sutiyoso said on Friday.

Sutiyoso said that thus far the city administration had
distributed cheap rice to 116,431 families.

"Over the next six months, we are to receive additional cheap
rice for 20,618 families," the governor said after attending a
ceremony to hand over the discounted rice to disadvantaged
families in Cipinang, East Jakarta.

The cheap rice was symbolically handed over by Minister of
Home Affairs and Regional Autonomy Surjadi Soedirdja to
representatives of the recipient families.

Surjadi said that each of the targeted families would now
receive 20 kilograms of rice at a price of Rp 1,000 per kilogram
(less than 10 U.S. cents) every month.

Previously, the families only received 10 kilograms of the
cheap rice.

Besides the discounted rice program, Surjadi said the
government would also conduct several programs for the poor to
help them cope with the impact of the fuel price hike.

One of the programs would be extending scholarships to
elementary school students from poor families.

"Other programs which will be conducted include giving free
health services to the poor, and helping with bus transportation
and potable water," he said.

The government had earlier promised to provide a subsidy of Rp
216 billion to bus operators in 20 cities across the country,
following its decision to increase fuel prices on June 16.

However, as the city administration had decided to increase
bus fares, the government dropped the subsidy for city bus
operators.

Nevertheless, some city councillors called on the city
administration to take the subsidy fund and use it to finance
poverty alleviation programs. (jun)