Prabowo orders rice aid to continue through December 2026
Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto, at a limited meeting at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Monday afternoon, instructed his ministers to prepare various assistance programmes for the public, including rice aid that will continue through October, November and December 2026.
The rice aid is given to 33.2 million households in deciles 1 to 4, at 10 kilograms per family per month.
However, the second phase of rice aid distribution, scheduled to be completed in September 2026, is being carried out through a retroactive payment system, meaning beneficiaries receive 30 kilograms of rice at once this month.
“The President’s instruction is that the rice aid be continued in the following months, namely October, November and December,” said Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto at a press conference explaining the outcome of the meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday.
Airlangga added that President Prabowo also gave a number of instructions regarding the government’s readiness to face El Niño.
The limited meeting on Monday afternoon began at around 15:30 WIB, and the officials attending only left the room at 19:00 WIB.
State officials attending the limited meeting at the Palace on Monday afternoon included Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan, Minister of Investment and Downstream Industry/Head of BKPM Rosan Perkasa Roeslani who is also CEO of Danantara, Minister of National Development Planning/Head of Bappenas Rachmat Pambudy, and Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia.
Also present were Minister of Housing and Residential Areas Maruarar Sirait, Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman, Deputy Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Didit Herdiawan Ashaf who also heads the North Java Coast Management Authority, Head of the SOE Regulatory Body and COO of Danantara Dony Oskaria, and Head of the Statistics Indonesia Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti.
Also in attendance were BRI President Director Hery Gunardi, Mandiri President Director Riduan, BNI President Director Putrama Wahju Setyawan, BTN President Director Nixon L. P. Napitupulu, and BSI President Director Anggoro Eko Cahyo.
Others present included Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, Minister of Finance Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, former finance minister Fuad Bawazier, and the President’s Special Envoy for Energy and Climate Hashim Djojohadikusumo.