In 3 Years Gov’t Disburses Rp127 Trillion in Village Funds: President Jokowi

President Jokowi meets with village heads and farmers in Banten Province in Muruy Village, Menes District, Pandeglang Regency, Banten, Wednesday (4/10). (Photo by: Public Relations Division/Jay)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said in the past three years the Government has disbursed Village Funds amounting to Rp127 trillion, consisting Rp20 trillion in the first stage, Rp40 trilliun in the second stage and Rp60 trillion in the third stage.

According to the President, in the first year every village receives around Rp300 million per year while in the second and third year, they will receive around Rp600 million and around Rp800 million respectively.

President Jokowi added that out of 74,000 villages that receive Village Funds this year, around 900 villages are having problems after their village heads were arrested for misappropriating the funds.  Therefore, the President called for prudence in using the funds.

“The amount of Village Funds is very big, Rp127 trillion,” the President said during a meeting with village heads and farmers in Banten Province in Muruy Village, Menes District, Pandeglang Regency, Banten, Wednesday (4/10).

President Jokowi added that there must be something wrong if such a big amount of money cannot improve welfare of the people in the villages; thus President Jokowi stressed that it is not only government apparatus but also the public who must supervise the use of Village Funds in order to bring benefits for people in the villages.

“Please use the funds to build infrastructures such as roads, embankments, irrigations or to dam up creeks. However, the most important thing is that you must never use the funds for personal interests. That must not be done,” the President said.

President Jokowi also reminded that Village Funds must be circulated within the villages or within the districts or within the regencies and must not be brought to cities or to Jakarta.

”If Village Funds are circulated within the villages and if we increase the amount every year, it will surely bring greater prosperity for people in the villages,” the President said,

President Jokowi cited the example of building an embankment. According to the President, 100 percent of materials to build the embankment must from the village itself and 100% of manpower employed must also be from the village.  In addition, the President said contractors from the cities must not be employed to carry out the project.

“Do the project in the village. Use manpower from the village and use materials form the village. Everything must be done in the village. Do not let the funds flow out of the village or the district. That’s the key,” the President said adding that bigger amounts of funds are handled by the Central Government, provincial governments and regency governments.

If such a practice continues to be done and with big potentials of the villages, supported with good infrastructures, President Jokowi believes the villages will be developed well with the supports from all its people.

Joining the President in the event were Minister of Villages, Disadvantageous Regions, and Transmigration Eko Putro Sanjoyo, Minister of State-owned Enterprises Rini Sumarno, Presidential Chief of Staff Teten Masduki, Banten Governor Wahidin Halim, and Pandeglang Regent Irna Narulita. (SM/JAY/ES) (EP/YM/Naster)