Government Allocates Rp 5.3 Trillion for Cash-for-Work Program Benefiting 215,000 Workers

The government has officially launched the Cash-for-Work (Padat Karya Tunai/PKT) Program, aimed at employing workers on a daily wage basis. The program runs from September to December 2025 with a total budget allocation of Rp 5.3 trillion.

The Cash-for-Work Program is a government initiative to empower rural communities, particularly the poor and marginalized, through productive activities that utilize local resources to generate additional income.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto stated that the program targets the absorption of around 215,000 workers, who will be directly recruited by the Ministry of Public Works and the Ministry of Transportation.

By providing wages in cash, the PKT program aims to:

• Reduce unemployment by providing temporary jobs.
• Increase community income, especially among vulnerable groups.
• Stimulate local economies through the circulation of daily wages.
• Accelerate the development of village infrastructure and public facilities.
• Serve as a social safety net during crises or disasters.

This initiative is part of the Economic Policy Package introduced by President Prabowo’s administration. Typically, the program involves simple labor-intensive projects that can absorb large numbers of local workers without requiring special skills.

Examples include: building and repairing village roads, cleaning irrigation channels and rivers, constructing and repairing public facilities, rehabilitating uninhabitable houses (RTLH), as well as reforestation and environmental maintenance.