Indonesian Govt to Prioritize Covid-19 Vaccine Purchase and Social Protection in 2021

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Indonesia’s Covid-19 budget in 2021 will primarily be prioritized for the acquisition and purchase of a coronavirus vaccine.

Director General of Budget at the Indonesian Ministry of Finance Askolani reassured that the government’s social protection schemes will go ahead as normal.

“In 2021, the priority will be on mitigating the coronavirus pandemic particularly on the purchase of a Covid-19 vaccine.”

As for social protection schemes, Askolani said that the Indonesian government remains committed to continuing its Covid-19 social assistance programs.

Nearly 10 million Indonesian families have been selected for the country’s Indonesian Conditional Cash Transfer Program next year.

Furthermore, the government has increased the budget for basic goods packages from Rp 150,000 to Rp 200,000 per package as well as the number of recipients to 18.8 million from a previous 15.6 million.

“Indonesia’s Minister of Social Affairs has also included his Covid-19 social cash assistance programs for 10 million recipients in Indonesia. It is likely that the Minister of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration will anticipate this measure by channeling the budget through the village fund.”

Askolani added that the government will gradually evaluate the implementation of its Covid-19 social assistance schemes in 2021 and that they will not hesitate to intervene when it is necessary.

Indonesia’s Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration and the Ministry of Social Affairs are the backbones of the national Covid-19 budget.

Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs Muhadjir Effendy said that the Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration will support the Ministry of Social Affairs should the latter encounter a funding shortage in executing its Covid-19 social assistance programs.

In doing so, the two ministries will not clash with each other and every program can be carried out in a disciplined manner.

(Writer: Deti Mega Purnamasari | Editor: Diamanty Meiliana)

Source: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/11/05/17410261/anggaran-covid-19-pada-2021-diutamakan-untuk-pengadaan-vaksin