Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia will allocate 1.8 trillion rupiah (US$115 million) in regular social assistance for beneficiaries in three flood-hit provinces, the Social Affairs Ministry said Tuesday, as authorities step up support ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and the Eid al-Fitr holiday.Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf said the funds will be distributed in the first quarter of 2026 to recipients of the Family Hope Program (PKH) and the Basic Food Assistance Program (BPNT) in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra, which are undergoing rehabilitation and reconstruction after recent floods.“The total budget of more than 1.8 trillion rupiah for the first quarter in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra is based on the National Single Socio-Economic Data updated by the statistics agency,” Yusuf said in a statement confirmed in Jakarta.He said the assistance will be channelled through two routes: state-owned banks grouped under the Himbara consortium and the national postal service PT Pos Indonesia.The ministry confirmed that nationwide distribution of regular social assistance is scheduled to begin in February, in line with targets agreed at a recent inter-ministerial coordination meeting in Jakarta.Under the 2026 scheme, BPNT beneficiaries will receive 200,000 rupiah per month per household. The aid will be disbursed quarterly, with a total of 600,000 rupiah covering January, February and March.Payments under the PKH program will vary by recipient category, including school-age children, elderly people over 60, people with disabilities, pregnant women and young children. The amounts range from 225,000 rupiah to 750,000 rupiah per quarter, depending on eligibility.Yusuf said the government aims to ensure the first phase of assistance is delivered on time and reaches the right recipients to help meet basic needs during Ramadan and ahead of Eid al-Fitr 1447 Hijri.“These funds are intended to ease the burden on vulnerable families, especially in areas still recovering from floods,” he said, adding that accurate targeting would be a priority.The three provinces were among those hardest hit by flooding late last year, which displaced thousands and damaged homes, roads and farmland.According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) records, as of January 20, the disasters claimed 1,200 lives and left 143 others missing across the three provinces, with the number of evacuees standing at around 113,903.Local governments have been working with the central government to restore infrastructure and livelihoods.Indonesia runs multiple social assistance programs to reduce poverty and cushion the impact of economic shocks and natural disasters. Officials say the use of the updated national socio-economic database is aimed at improving accuracy and preventing aid leakage.