Pusat Telaah dan Informasi Regional (PATTIRO) is urging central government to immediately share distribution cost for Raskin (Rice for Poor Households). As reported by news media on Wednesday, 23 October 2013, it has been found that several local governments have rejected Raskin, arguing that there are no poor households in their areas. Those areas are Muko-muko regency, Bengkulu province, Malinau regency, East Kalimantan province and Mentawai regency, and also West Sumatera province.
However, it needs to be further investigated whether those areas that have rejected Raskin no longer have poor households. PATTIRO suspects that the rejection is because local governments do not have or do not allocate its budget for Raskin distribution due to limited budget. Because of that, if this Raskin policy is to continue, central government should share the distribution cost so that there will be no rejection from the local government to distribute Raskin.
As an effect of distribution cost that is currently borne by the local government, Raskin price exceeds Raskin’s redeemed price set by the government. Even though it has been regulated that local government must bear the distribution cost, local government argues that they only responsible for the distribution up until its distribution point, and as such they decide the distribution point according to their capability and willingness. Poor households are the ones to cover the handling and transportation cost from distribution point to their homes.
Other than that, due to various reasons such as plastic and wrapping costs, have increased Raskin price to be higher than the Raskin’s redeemed price as set by the central government. In several areas, PATTIRO found that Raskin price could go up to Rp. 2.500,- to Rp. 3.000,- per kg.
Therefore, if the government wanted to continue the Raskin Program, distribution issue is only one of the things that need to be solved.
PATTIRO’s recommendation for the Government in order for Raskin program to run effectively:
- First, in order to get the support from the community, Raskin program’s implementer has to be transparent;
- Second, strong community participation can be seen in a systematic mechanism for the community to provide input, feedback and report for program implementation;
- Third, there is a community participation-based monitoring program and multi-stakeholder dialogue;
- Fourth, there is a program’s social audit in order to provide feedback to improve program implementation;
- And fifth, strengthening local government’s involvement as Raskin’s Program implementer which results in Central Government having more trust for Local Government as the program’s implementer.
These five recommendations not only valid for Raskin program, but can be applied by the government for other social assistance programs such as the School Operational Assistance (BOS), subsidized fertilizer, Direct Cash Aid (BLT) program and others. Especially for Raskin program, one thing to note is that rice is not always the main staple food in every region in Indonesia. Thus, Raskin assistance program in several regions in East Indonesia is not particularly correct.
27 Oktober 2013
Sad Dian Utomo | Direktur Eksekutif PATTIRO
saddian@pattiro.org | 0812 800 3045
Contact Person: Adnan Rahmadi | Communication Officer
adnan@pattiro.org | 081 808 240105
