Pariaman Provides 4,000 Packages of Low-cost Foodstuffs

Pariaman, (Antaranews Sumbar) - The Government of Pariaman Municipality, West Sumatra provides 4,000 packages of foodstuffs through low-cost markets for the weak economically communities in the area ahead of Eid al-Fitr 1439 Hijriah.

Head of Department of Trade Industry Cooperative and Small Medium Enterprises of Pariaman, Gusniyetti Zaunit in here on Monday said 4,000 packages of subsidized groceries is a form of concern for local governments to the poor in order to fulfill their needs in welcoming Eid.

"The food aid is distributed directly on Rumah Tabuik Subarang, Central Pariaman Sub-district on June 4 to 7, 2018," he noted.

He said the aid packages of cheap basic necessities have been budgeted by the local government through 2018 Regional Budget which reached Rp300 million.

Each package is worth to Rp75,000 but the community is given a subsidy of Rp50,000 and only charged a fee of Rp25,000.

A total of 4,000 packages were distributed to weak economically communities by using coupons provided based on data of beneficiaries of prosperous rice.

Each package contains a variety of staple goods such as cooking oil, wheat flour, eggs and sugar. Then other than that, local government also provides direct subsidies to visitors, he said.

In total, there are six basic needs that are directly subsidized to visitors such as beef for Rp20 thousand per kilogram, chicken meat Rp10 thousand for each, eggs Rp5 thousand per board, rice Rp3 thousand per kilogram, sugar Rp3 thousand and cooking oil subsidized Rp3 per liter .

Pariaman Mayor, Mukhlis Rahman said the cheap market held by local government is an effort to anticipate the price increase of basic needs.

"Usually, the price of basic necessities increases on the eve of Eid, the provision of cheap food subsidy is one of the efforts to overcome it especially for the weak economically communities," he added. (cha)