Jakarta (ANTARA) - The low-quality rice available through social aid would be replaced immediately with new rice of better quality, Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini has assured.
She had received some complaints from beneficiaries about the bad quality of the rice, she admitted.
"I already got the reports. There are some cases where the rice was not so good. But the amount was so little compared to the good quality rice. If there are bad ones, for example, (we will) immediately replace them with new ones," she said in a written statement received here, Monday.
She noticed the issue while monitoring a social aid allocation event aimed at people affected by the restriction of community activities.
The distribution of the rice involved several parties, each with their own task, the minister stated.
"For the 10 kg rice as social assistance, the Social Affairs Minister plays a role in submitting the data of beneficiaries to the Finance Ministry. Meanwhile, the rice would be provided and distributed by the State Logistics Agency (Bulog)," Rismaharini elaborated.
The distribution of 5 kg rice aid was under the authority of the regional government, which was carried out by the social affairs offices, she said. "Local governments through social affairs offices are given the authority to distribute rice. The offices are also authorized to ensure the quality of medium-type rice is in good condition when it is received by the public," she said.
The social affairs office was also authorized to directly ask the provider for compensation if the quality of the rice was not satisfactory, she added.
The minister lauded local governments for their cooperation and response. Through social programs such as the Family Hope Program (PKH) and the District Social Welfare Personnel (TKSK), they sought to immediately replace the low quality rice.
The government distributes rice as social aid during the implementation of community activities restriction (PPKM). The 10 kg of rice was distributed to 10 million PKH beneficiary families, 10 million beneficiary families of cash transfer program (BST), and 8.8 million beneficiary families of Non-Cash Food Aids (BPNT)/Sembako Cards.
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