PRR Task Force Proposes Increase in Home Renovation Stimulus Funds

The Post-Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Task Force (Satgas PRR) for Sumatra has proposed increasing the stimulus grant for severely damaged homes from Rp60 million to Rp80 million per unit. Deputy Chairman of the Satgas PRR and Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Lieutenant General TNI Suharyanto, stated the additional assistance would focus on two permanent housing (huntap) construction schemes. The first is in-situ huntap, rebuilt at the original location. The second is independent ex-situ huntap, built at a new, safer location away from disaster risk. “So, the in-situ ones total 8,000. The independent ex-situ ones total 8,000. So, approximately 16,000. However, to date, around 14,500 have been submitted, with data received by the BNPB from the regions, bottom-up from regional heads,” Suharyanto said in a statement in Jakarta on Saturday. This was conveyed following a Ministerial-Level Coordination Meeting regarding the Proposed Adjustment of Stimulus Grants for Severely Damaged Houses Affected by Disasters at the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs office in Jakarta on Thursday (2/7). The proposal is designed to ensure that housing built for post-disaster survivors is not only rebuilt but is also more decent, safe, and comfortable to live in. The grant increase is part of the government’s effort to accelerate permanent recovery for disaster-affected communities, particularly residents who have lost their homes. The Satgas PRR stated that housing construction for survivors must address residents’ basic needs while considering long-term building quality. According to Suharyanto, the proposed adjustment of the grant value to Rp80 million per unit is based on two main considerations. First, the increase in building material prices. Second, the government’s commitment to improving the standard of housing decency for survivors so that the homes built are more ready for occupancy. “Meanwhile, the current Rp60 million does not include ceramic tiles or smooth plastering. The bathroom is not yet tiled. If an additional Rp20 million is added, everything will be tiled. In addition, there will be a ceiling, and outside, a terrace will be added, and the bathroom will be fully tiled,” he said. Currently, the BNPB is accelerating the construction of in-situ and independent ex-situ huntap in three affected provinces. Out of the total requirement of approximately 16,000 units, around 800 huntap units have entered the construction phase. Suharyanto confirmed that the proposed grant increase has gained consensus at the ministerial and institutional level and is now awaiting the President’s decision. Chairman of the Satgas PRR for Post-Disaster Sumatra and Minister of Home Affairs, Muhammad Tito Karnavian, fully supports the proposal as a solution-oriented step to accelerate the recovery of residents’ housing. Tito explained that the construction of in-situ and independent ex-situ huntap has a high level of complexity because it is scattered across many points. Therefore, the Satgas PRR is proposing the use of the BNPB’s Ready-to-Use Fund (DSP) mechanism so that implementation in the field is more flexible, fast, and targeted. “The in-situ and independent ex-situ huntap, which are the responsibility of the BNPB, are more complex because they are individual. Yes, a separate mechanism will be used, which we propose is the Ready-to-Use Fund mechanism because the BNPB is indeed flexible,” said Tito.