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Serang: The State Logistics Agency (Bulog) for Banten will try a rice-for-the-poor package at a kiosk in Tangerang. “We will do it next week,” said head of Bulog Banten for the rice-for-the-poor package team, Sigit Suwitarto.

He explained the distribution of rice-for- the-poor package has not been running effectively while there are many poor in Tangerang. “Its beneficiaries are still low,” he said.

Therefore, the kiosk will work as an agent distributing rice-for-the-poor package, in every village in Tangerang.

The maximum rice supply provided for poor people in Tangerang is 21 million kilograms, but only 10.47 percent or 2 million kilograms benefited. “This is low while the number of poor households in Tangerang reaches 254 thousand ,” he said. Tangerang has the most poor in Banten province.

Vice Governor for Banten, HM Masduki, said that this is caused by the community's low buying power, and poor distribution system, while Banten has 59 million kilograms of rice and only benefits from 17 million kilograms or 29.17 percent of the supply.

Tangerang city government plans to distribute 2,000 tons of cheap rice for the poor. 15 kilograms of rice with a price of Rp1,600 per kilogram will be distributed to 31,000 households.

Head of Information and Communication division for Tangerang, Saeful Rohmana, said the distribution channel is changed. Before it was focused at sub-district and village level, and is now directed to local spots approved by village head.

Source