Gov’t Reaffirms Commitment to Village Development

President Jokowi on Wednesday (01/03) meets with Village Heads from Banjarnegara regency in Pagak village, Banjarnegara regency, Central Java province. Photo by: BPMI of Presidential Secretariat/Rusman.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to equitable development in villages.

“Let me tell you that we have disbursed Rp539 trillion for village funds. That is a very significant amount,” the President said in a meeting with Village Heads from Banjarnegara regency in Pagak village, Banjarnegara regency, Central Java province, Wednesday (01/03).

The President stated that the amount of village funds that had been distributed since 2015 was significantly higher than the budget for airport construction or dam construction.

“The budget for an airport is Rp 2 trillion, while the budget for a dam is Rp 1 trillion or Rp 1.5 trillion,” the President said.

Regarding road construction, President Jokowi said that the Government has built 350,000 kilometers of village road, a very significant amount comparing to 2,040 kilometers of toll roads.

The President further said that the village funds should be utilized for benefiting the communities, and in developing village infrastructure, local materials must be used.

“We must encourage cash circulation in villages and boost economic development in villages,” the President remarked. (BPMI SETPRES/AIT) (RI/MMB)