Reminds Village Fund Priority Not Offside, Mendes PDTT Says Distribution Has Realized 14,600 Markets

Illustration of traditional markets. (Antaranews)

JAKARTA - Minister of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration (Mendes PDTT) Abdul Halim Iskandar said the use of village funds was not offside or out of the set priority.

"The village funds that have been distributed have been realized, there are village roads of 350,000 km, 14600 village markets, 6,700 reservoirs, there are bridges as well," said Mendes PDTT in a statement in Jakarta, Monday, January 8, which was confiscated by Antara.

While accompanying President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) during a working visit to Margagiri Village, Bojonegara District, Serang Regency, Banten, Mendes PDTT said the move of the head of state to increase the number of village funds showed confidence in the village.

"We need to express our appreciation to the village head who during the leadership of the President has won this trust and trust," he said.

On this occasion, President Jokowi asked village heads to rotate village funds through spending on the community directly, not to leave the village level.

"Let's just make money in the village, at the sub-district level maximum if the goods are not in the village. So that every year there is an increase in the circulation of money below. Buy bricks, cement, sand in the village," said the President.

The President promised to increase village funds that will be received by all villages in Indonesia if the village is able to manage them properly according to the regulations set by the government.

"Village funds will continue to be increased in the amount of rupiah. With a record managed with good governance, accountability is good," said the President.

President Jokowi during his visit was also accompanied by Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan, Minister of PUPR Basuki Hadimuljono, Acting Governor of Banten Al Muktabar, Forkompimda of Banten Province, Regent of Serang Ratu Tatu Chasanah, Head of Margagiri Village Ruhul Amin, and hundreds of other village heads from Serang, Lebak, Pandeglang, and Tangerang regencies.