BNPB Proposes Higher Aid for Severely Damaged Homes

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) proposed increasing the housing assistance for homes severely damaged by disasters, from Rp60 million to between Rp70 million and Rp80 million per unit.

The proposal was discussed during a ministerial-level meeting on Thursday, July 2, 2026. The meeting focused on adjusting the housing assistance scheme for severely damaged homes, which is funded through BNPB’s Ready-to-Use Fund.

The increase is considered necessary to ensure disaster-affected communities can rebuild homes that are safe, livable, and more resilient to future disasters. BNPB reported its monitoring and evaluation of permanent housing construction, both through in-situ rebuilding and independent relocation schemes, especially in Sumatra, showed that the current Rp60 million assistance per unit is no longer sufficient to build homes that meet safety and livability standards.

Rising prices of construction materials and higher building costs have added to the challenge. Remote areas with limited access also require higher mobilization costs for delivering materials and carrying out construction work on site.

Head of BNPB, Suharyanto, said the adjustment is not only about increasing the budget, but also about improving the quality of housing for communities beginning their recovery after a disaster.

“The adjustment of assistance for severely damaged homes is not merely an increase in the amount of aid. It is the state’s effort to ensure that disaster-affected communities receive housing that is safe, livable, and resilient to future disaster risks. Recovery must be accelerated while also improving the quality of construction,” he said in an official statement.

Through the proposed adjustment, BNPB aims to support the construction of stronger and more durable homes. Improvements would include reinforced foundations and columns, better building materials, higher-quality roofs and ceilings, ceramic flooring, improved sanitation facilities, and more adequate electrical installations.

BNPB also proposed that the assistance for severely damaged homes through the Ready-to-Use Fund be applied nationwide, without restrictions based on location or type of disaster. A uniform policy is expected to provide greater certainty for affected residents, speed up rehabilitation and reconstruction, and ensure fairer treatment for disaster victims across different regions.

Based on a review by the Government Internal Supervisory Apparatus (APIP) of BNPB’s Inspectorate, there are currently plans to build 19,646 permanent housing units for disaster-affected communities in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. The projects include both in-situ housing and independent relocation schemes.

The Agency hopes the higher assistance will speed up post-disaster recovery while enabling the construction of homes that are safer, more comfortable, and better able to protect communities from future disaster risks. Going forward, BNPB will continue coordinating with relevant ministries and agencies to develop rehabilitation and reconstruction policies that are adaptive, effective, and fair for communities across Indonesia.