By: Alula Khairunisa)*
The government already has a series of accurate strategies to ensure that the distribution of BLT BBM can be truly targeted to people who need it. In addition, monitoring of implementation in the field is also continuously carried out, all of which are proof that the government is indeed present and on the side of the people.
Recently, the world economy is in an unstable condition. This is due to several problems, first is that several countries in the world are still struggling and struggling to be free from the shackles of the Covid-19 pandemic, but these efforts have actually been exacerbated by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which until now will not end.
These two things then also had an impact on the supply of necessities and commodities, including energy, which made them jump at very high prices. One of them is the skyrocketing world oil price. Meanwhile, Indonesia itself, which is an oil importing country, finally has to continue to spend more and more in order to meet the abundant consumption of BBM for the people of the country.
The report shows that only in 2022, the government has reshuffled the budget for fuel subsidies up to three times, which was previously budgeted at only Rp. 152 trillion, but as demand continues to increase and world oil prices continue to skyrocket, the State Budget continues to burn for fuel subsidies. up to Rp 502 trillion.
Of course, this becomes a very burdensome state-managed budget so that national fiscal resilience will be very threatened if subsidies are continuously applied, especially since observers also predict that this figure will increase in the future. What’s more, in fact on the ground, about 70 percent of the fuel subsidy that has been disbursed by the government has actually been enjoyed by the wealthy, so it can be said that it is no longer on target.
Therefore, the Government of Indonesia immediately plans to reallocate the fuel subsidy budget with the fuel price adjustment policy which has now been ratified. The hope is that with this, the state budget will not be too burdened. But not only that, the government also continues to think about how the fate of the affected people will be, so that the distribution of BLT BBM is carried out to maintain the purchasing power of vulnerable people and ensure that the use of aid is much more targeted than only enjoyed by the wealthy.
The President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo himself emphasized that the government would prepare BLT BBM for around 20.65 million vulnerable people with a prepared budget of Rp 12.4 trillion. Coupled with the distribution of Wage Subsidy Assistance for workers whose salaries are below Rp. 3.5 million with a budget prepared by the state of up to Rp. 9.6 trillion. The distribution of all social assistance has started since September 2022 in a period of four months in stages.
To ensure that the distribution of BLT BBM is very well targeted, the government through the Ministry of Social Affairs itself has prepared several accurate strategies so that all aid does fall into the right hands and can be utilized as best as possible by the community, so that on the other hand national fiscal resilience is maintained.
The first strategy is to continue to update the Social Welfare Integrated Data (DTKS), even the update will continue to be carried out every month to actually collect data on which people really need it and assistance will be immediately distributed to them. Then the second step is to take advantage of digital technology today, namely by continuing to re-check and also verify BLT BBM recipients using the Bansos Check application.
Furthermore, the third strategy carried out by the Ministry of Social Affairs is to conduct field checks on how the BLT BBM distribution process is carried out. Do not let everything have been designed in such a way, but the process in the field is still far from expectations. Therefore there is a certain team tasked with conducting field checks. And the fourth strategy is to continue to monitor reports from the public regarding the distribution of BLT BBM. Because the assistance is given to the community, it is very important for their opinions to be heard.
Minister of Social Affairs (Mensos) Tri Rismaharini said that it was not only his party who worked hard in distributing BLT BBM to the community, but the Ministry of Social Affairs also collaborated with several institutions at the same time to establish cooperation. His party works closely with the Population and Civil Registration Service (Dukcapil) so that all population data becomes much clearer and also really ensures that only the public can access the data.
