I Always Monitor Village Fund Use, President Jokowi Says

President Jokowi attends the Evaluation of Development Policy and Empowerment of Village Community, Dissemination of Priority of Village Fund Use for 2019, in East Lampung, Friday (23/11). (Photo by: JAY/Public Relations Division)

The Government has disbursed village funds throughout the country amounting to Rp20.7 trillion in 2015, Rp47 trillion in 2016, Rp60 trillion in 2017, and Rp60 trillion in 2018.

“Next year, the Government has allocated village funds amounting to Rp73 trillion and it has been approved by the House of Representatives (DPR-RI). It means that to date, the disbursement of village funds have reached Rp187 trillion,” President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said at the Evaluation of Development Policy and Empowerment of Village Community and Dissemination of Priority of Village Fund Use for 2019, at the Islamic Center, East Lampung, on Friday (23/11).

The President added that that he always monitors the use of disbursed funds. “I check on the ground what the quality and the quantity are like and I ask for the report,” the President added.

For the past four years, according to the President, a number of facilities and infrastructure have been built such as 123,000 km village roads, 11,500 new units of integrated health service posts (posyandu), 18,000 early childhood education school (PAUD), 6,500 village markets, 791,000-meter bridges, 28,000 irrigation units, 1,900 reservoirs, and 26,000 village-owned enterprises (BuMDes).

“What does it mean? Our actions are right but they need improving for better quality so nothing will miss,” the President said, adding that there are 74,000 villages throughout the country.

The President added that even though he now lives in Jakarta and Bogor, he would always remember that he is a village person. “Even though almost every month I travel to other countries, meet with the prime minister, meet with the president of other countries, but I always remember the village because I am a village person,” said the President, adding that the use of village funds must be right on target and they must not be returned to Jakarta.

“I want there is money circulation in the villages so that the economy there can develop and in turn they can boost economic growth for the people in the villages,” the President concluded.

Also accompanying the President were Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Minister of the Development of Disadvantaged Villages and Transmigration Eko Sandjojo, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono, and Lampung Governor Ridho Ficardo. (FID/JAY/EN)

Translated by: Muhardi

Edited by: M. Ersan Pamungkas