Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo on Tuesday launched a free micro fire insurance scheme targeting 3,000 low-income people in the capital.

During the launch of the scheme at Angke flat in Tambora sub-district, West Jakarta, the governor symbolically handed fire insurance policies to representatives from 11 sub-districts in the capital.

Under the scheme, each fire victim will receive insurance coverage of Rp3,000,000. The program is expected to alleviate the financial burden of affected low-income people.

To realize the program, the city administration will cooperate with PT Asuransi Central Asia (ACA), PT Indofood Sukses Makmur, PT Bogasari Flow Mills, PT Nasional RE, PT Rasuransi Indonesia in providing free micro fire insurance protection to the low-income people for 1 year.

In 2012 alone, the capital recorded 1,042 cases of fire with a total loss of Rp297 billion. Most of the fire victims were low-income people, Head of the Jakarta Provincial Disaster Mitigation Board H Ery Basworo said.

The 3,000 fire insurance beneficiaries consist of 600 in Tambora sub-district, 400 in Johar Baru sub-district, 200 in Senen sub-district, 200 in Tanah Abang sub-district, 200 in Sawah Besar sub-district, 300 in Cakung sub-district, 200 in Pulo Gadung sub-district, 200 in Pesanggrahan sub-district,, 200 in Cilincing sub-district, 200 in Penjaringan sub-district,, 300 in Pademangan sub-district.