IPOH, To date, 724 out of 2,818 applications, amounting to RM57.6 million, have been approved for Village Development and Security Committees (JPKK) nationwide under the Sejahtera Komuniti Madani (SejaTi MADANI) programme. Political Secretary to the Finance Minister, Muhammad Kamil Abdul Munim, said Perak is the state that received the highest grant involving 113 applications amounting to RM10.1 million. "According to our observations, many JPKKs are still waiting for their turn to be called for interviews so they can implement projects under this initiative as soon as possible, thereby creating a new ecosystem in their areas. "All JPKKs can apply for amounts ranging from RM50,000 to RM100,000, but the grants awarded vary based on the strength of the project proposal they wish to implement," he told Bernama when met at the Ziarah Kasih MADANI Parlimen Tambun programme here today. SejaTi MADANI, launched on March 25, is a government assistance programme aimed at empowering communities through socioeconomi c improvement activities. There are five targeted sectors in the SejaTi MADANI programme, namely agriculture and food, sewing and crafts, herbs and health, tourism and hospitality, and green and recycling activities. Muhammad Kamil said this initiative is a golden opportunity that should be seized by all JPKKs to increase productivity and generate additional income for recipients. "It is important for us to ensure that every JPKK in the country can stand on their own feet or be self-sufficient," he said. Meanwhile, at the event, a total of RM5,000 was donated by the Prime Minister's Department to five recipients from the B40 group in Chemor. Source: BERNAMA News Agency