Bulog gets new deputy chief

JAKARTA (JP): Head of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) Jusuf Kalla installed Sapuan on Wednesday as deputy head of the agency.

Sapuan is a former secretary in the Office of the State Minister of Food and Horticulture during the Soeharto administration.

Jusuf, who is the minister of industry and trade, said after the installation that beginning in April civil servants would no longer receive their rice allowance in kind, but in cash based on the prevailing market price.

He said the change was part of an efficiency drive because the cost of distributing rice directly to civil servants had increased.

Bulog distributes about 150,000 tons of rice to civil servants every month under the government's food allowance program. (06)