Gov’t Urges Village Heads to Accelerate Village Funds Use

a screenshot from Minister of Villages, Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration Abdul Halim Iskandar’s presentation (Image source: Presidential Secretariat YouTube)

Minister of Villages, Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration Abdul Halim Iskandar has urged all village heads to immediately accelerate the use of the remaining Village Funds until the end of December this year .

“As of 15 December, 98% of the 2020 State Budget ceiling has been used amounting to Rp71.190 trillion,” Abdul Halim said in his press statement at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, Wednesday (16/12).

The Minister also stated that he already issued three policies to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, namely Village Cash Workforce (PKTD), COVID-19 Responsive Villages, and Direct Cash Assistance (BLT) sourced from Village Funds.

“We will implement the policies using the remaining Village Funds budget,” Abdul Halim said, adding that there is still Rp23.934 trillion from the ceiling to be used.

According to the Minister, the remaining funds will be used for the December Village Fund BLT (Rp8.045 trillion) and PKTD (Rp15.889 trillion).

Abdul Halim further said that if Rp15,889 trillion is used for PKTD by assuming a minimum wage of 55%, it would result in a total of 87,389,963 Working Person Days (HOK).

“If one person works for 10 days since there are only 2 weeks left (in 2020), then the PKTD will absorb 8,738,996 workers,” he added.

For the record, the implementation of PKTD is divided into two schemes, namely for productive infrastructure and for productive economy which aims to boost COVID-19 handling and national economic recovery at the village level.

The detail of the 2020 Village Funds usage as of 15 December has reached Rp47.255 trillion. The funds are used on COVID-19 Responsive Villages (Rp3.170 trillion), PKTD (Rp15.233 trillion), other infrastructure development (Rp8.435 trillion), and Village Fund BLT (Rp20.415 trillion). (Ministry of Villages, Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration PR/UN) (GWH/EP)