JAKARTA - The central government has decided to return the Regional Transfer (TKD) funds for Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra with a total value of Rp. 10.6 trillion to accelerate post-disaster recovery from floods and landslides in the region.
Minister of Home Affairs Muhammad Tito Karnavian said the decision was taken directly by President Prabowo Subianto by equating the current year's TKD with the 2025 amount.
"The President has decided that all provinces and regencies/cities in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, their regional financial transfers will be equal to 2025. In other words, it will be added so that the total will be Rp. 10.6 trillion," said Tito in Jakarta, Antara, Monday, January 19.
The policy, he said, aims to strengthen the fiscal capacity of the regions so that post-disaster recovery can run faster and touch vital sectors, ranging from education, health, to the community economy.
Tito, who also serves as the Head of the Post-disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Acceleration Task Force for Sumatra, emphasized that the central government had mobilized all national resources to support the affected areas.
"The message from the President is clear, he understands the difficulties of the region very well. All central forces are mobilized, starting from the Ministry of PUPR, the Ministry of Education, the health sector, the TNI, the National Police, BNPB, Basarnas, and other elements, all of which are backed up," said Tito.
However, he emphasized the importance of mutual cooperation between the central government and local governments. The return of the TKD is expected to be a lever for local governments to be more free to move in handling the impact of disasters.
"The region must also move. But to be strong, yes, add the budget," he said.
Tito strongly reminded that the TKD funds should be used effectively, efficiently, and responsibly, and not misused.
"Don't be diverted. This is a disaster budget. If it is diverted, the harm will be multiplied. This is a crime, responsibility to God, and it is the same as dancing on the suffering of the community itself," he said.
The details of the TKD refund include Rp1.6 trillion for Aceh Province and 23 regencies/cities, Rp6.3 trillion for North Sumatra Province and 33 regencies/cities, and Rp2.7 trillion for West Sumatra Province and 19 regencies/cities.
The funds can be used as needed by the region, ranging from road and bridge repairs, handling refugees, river normalization, to cleaning the environment affected by disasters.
Tito ensured that the central government would monitor the distribution of funds so that they could be immediately received by the region, and targeted the transfer process to begin early next week through coordination between the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Finance.
"With this additional budget, I hope their work will be more optimal. I will monitor that this budget will be transferred to the region as soon as possible," he said.
He emphasized that all provinces and regencies/cities in the three regions received the full return of TKD, although not all of them were directly affected.
"Because this is a provincial disaster. The impact is felt widely, not only in one area," said Tito.
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