Schoolchildren get cash to buy food

Schoolchildren get cash to buy food

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration will provide funds for
the purchase of nutritious foods to 38,000 Jakarta elementary
school students living below the poverty line.

Deputy Governor for Social Welfare Djailani said on Monday
that the fund, due to start next month, was part of the
authorities' campaign for poverty eradication.

He said that under the program, overseen by the Regional
Development Planning Agency (Bappeda), each child would receive
Rp 500 daily to enable them to buy additional food in their
schools. The program will last 108 days.

"We will give priority to needy children from very poor
families," he said.

Bappeda's deputy chairman Irzal Z. Djamal said that the
program would cost some Rp 2.052 billion to be taken from the
1998/1999 city budget and the state budget.

Irzal said the money would be distributed through members of
Family Welfare Movement (PKK). (ivy)