20 persons with disabilities visit Tulungagung Social Services office to verify welfare assistance status

Ponorogo, East Java (ANTARA) — Twenty persons with disabilities visited the Tulungagung District Social Services Office in East Java on Monday to verify the status of social welfare assistance (bansos) that has not been disbursed.

Their visit was facilitated by the Disabled Persons Association (Percatu) of Tulungagung District.

Didik Prayitno Kumalnadi, chair of Percatu, stated that the organisation wanted to ascertain whether their members’ welfare assistance was inactive or had been affected by changes in welfare category classification (desil).

“We came to check the welfare assistance status of persons with disabilities, because some have not received disbursement in the first phase this year, and others have gone months without receiving payments,” he said.

According to Didik, the majority who came were recipients of Non-Cash Food Assistance (BPNT) and the Family Hope Programme (PKH).

A total of approximately 20 people conducted checks directly at the Social Services office.

He explained that BPNT recipients should receive cash assistance of IDR 300,000 every three months or IDR 900,000 annually.

Additionally, the group also requested clarification regarding special disability assistance that is said to be prioritised by the central government.

“We also want clarity on disability welfare assistance that is said to be prioritised with no restrictions,” he said.

Meanwhile, Fahmi Alif Aldianto, Head of Protection and Social Security at Tulungagung Social Services, said the office had conducted checks for all persons with disabilities who visited.

The results showed that two people had successfully verified their accounts and were awaiting routine verification.

Four people fell into desil 1–4 but had not received welfare assistance, six people were in desil 6–10, and four people were in desil 5.

“According to the latest regulations, welfare assistance recipients are prioritised for desil 1–4. Those in desil 5 and above are automatically deactivated,” he said.

Additionally, two people needed to open collective accounts and were still awaiting processing, one person had not yet received a Family Welfare Card (KKS), and one recipient was suspected of misusing assistance and was still in the clarification stage.

Fahmi added that persons with disabilities in desil 1–4 but who had not received welfare assistance could submit requests through village or subdistrict governments. Those in desil 6–10 but who believe they cannot afford to live can request data updates.

“The problems are varied. However, on average, they fall into desil 6–10, so their welfare assistance has been automatically deactivated,” he said.