Tito Urges Acceleration of Damage Assessment in Central Tapanuli to Ensure Timely Aid Distribution
Indonesia’s Minister of Home Affairs and Head of the Task Force for Accelerating Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Post-Sumatra Disaster, Muhammad Tito Karnavian, has urged the Central Tapanuli Regency Government to accelerate the data collection on house damage affected by the disaster, covering light, moderate, and severe categories.
Tito stated that this acceleration is deemed crucial to ensure the aid distribution proceeds on time, thereby fulfilling the rights of disaster victims promptly.
“If there is no classification of light, moderate, severe as mentioned, the aid funds cannot be disbursed,” Tito said in his press release on Friday (27/3/2026).
Tito made this remark while inspecting the Permanent Housing (Huntap) in Sitonong Bangun Ward, Pinangsori Subdistrict, Central Tapanuli Regency (Tapteng), North Sumatra (Sumut), on Friday.
Furthermore, Tito explained that according to regulations, residents with lightly damaged houses are entitled to aid of Rp15 million, while those with moderately damaged houses receive Rp30 million.
In addition, the government has prepared social assistance from the Ministry of Social Affairs, including living guarantees (jadup) of Rp15,000 per person per day for three months, household furniture assistance of Rp3 million, and economic aid worth Rp5 million.
To accelerate the distribution of this aid, Tito instructed the Regent of Tapteng, Masinton Pasaribu, to immediately form a special data collection team involving the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), the local Social Services Office, and the Population and Civil Registration Office (Dukcapil), with support from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).
The team is requested to go directly to the field with adequate budget support and target completion of data collection within one week.
Further, Tito emphasised that the government is prepared to take firm measures against parties that hinder the acceleration of disaster response.
“This is a disaster situation; do not let the community become victims,” he asserted.
Meanwhile, the government, through the Ministry of Housing and Human Settlements (PKP), the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), and the Ministry of Social Affairs, has expressed full readiness to realise the construction and aid distribution.
Currently, the implementation of physical construction, including huntap, is still awaiting complete valid data and the provision of legal land from the Central Tapanuli Regency Government.