RUPIAH'S DEPRECIATION SHOULD NOT AFFECT VILLAGE FUNDS

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, May 19 (Antara) - Funds allocated by the government to develop villages should not be reduced due to the depreciation of the rupiah against the US dollar currency.           Member of Commission XI of the House of Representatives (DPR) G. Michael Jeno remarked that the strengthening of the US dollar against the rupiah must not lead to a reduction in the amount of funds transferred from the central government to the region, especially those for the village development program.           "The implication of the dollar's appreciation is huge. If the value of the dollar is already over Rp14 thousand, it will affect the state budget as the assumption of the dollar in the state budget is set at Rp13,400. There is a big difference of about Rp600, so it must be discussed at a meeting on the 2018 revised budget (APBNP)," Jeno noted on Wednesday.           The rupiah exchange rate at the closing of the interbank transaction in Jakarta on Friday afternoon weakened by 99 points to Rp14,144 as compared to the previous position of Rp14,045 per US dollar.           According to legislator Mukhammad Misbakhun of the Golkar Faction of the DPR, the village fund program is strategic to develop villages. It is in line with President Joko Widodo's Nawacita development priority program, which among others, aims to carry out development from the frontier, outermost, and remote areas.

VILLAGE FUNDS NEED TO BE AUDITED

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, April 5 (Antara) - The government is committed to developing villages in an effort to improve the welfare of people in rural areas across the country.         To advance development in rural areas, the government over the past three years  has allocated some Rp190.65 trillion in village fund program to build infrastructure facilities.         "The government has succeeded in building village roads of up to 121,709 kilometers in all corners of Indonesia within three years of implementing the village fund program, an achievement which has never been made in Indonesia's history," Director General of Rural Area Development of the Disadvantaged Region and Transmigration Ministry, Ahmad Erani Yustika, stated in Magelang, Central Java, on Monday (April 2).          The funds used for the village program is set aside through state budget (APBN). Therefore, its use should be audited. The Government's Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP) is urged to audit the use of the funds.          The BPKP should act proactively in carrying out control and prevention of abuse of the village funds.

VILLAGE ASSISTANTS TO MONITOR UTILIZATION OF VILLAGE FUNDS

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 28 (Antara) - The government has allocated budget worth Rp60 trillion this year as village funds to help develop villages and disadvantaged regions and to finance labor-intensive programs in villages.          Some 30 percent of the Rp60 trillion will be channeled to fund the labor-intensive program in a bid to help improve the welfare of villagers. The government has also deployed some 39 thousand village assistants to facilitate the implementation of this program.          According to the Ministry of Village, Disadvantaged Region Development, and Transmigration (PDTT), the village assistants are tasked with providing information and guidance on the use of the funds for village development.          For the management of funds, the PDTT Ministry has also urged village assistants to promote and supervise the cash labor-intensive program in villages.       "Currently, PDTT Minister (Eko Putro Sandjojo) continues to visit villages to raise awareness on the use of village funds through the cash labor-intensive program, and we have also mobilized 39 thousand village assistant officials to oversee the utilization of village funds through the cash-for-work programs," Director General for Disadvantaged Areas Development of the PDTT Syamsul Widodo noted in Jakarta on Thursday (Feb 15).

ALLOCATION OF VILLAGE FUNDS EXPECTED TO REDUCE POVERTY RATE

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Jan 5 (Antara) - The government in 2018 will allocate Rp60 trillion as village funds, of which some 30 percent, or Rp18 trillion, is designated to finance labor-intensive programs in villages to reduce the poverty rate.          The Rp60 trillion will be distributed to 74,910 villages. On an average, each village will receive Rp800 million, of which 30 percent, or Rp240 million, will be allocated to villagers involved in labor-intensive programs.          "The government will enhance its labor-intensive programs through village funds in 2018. Some 30 percent of the village funds will be allocated to the programs," Minister of Village, Disadvantaged Regions Development and Transmigration Eko Putro Sandjojo noted in a statement here on Wednesday.          The programs are projected to absorb a workforce of five to six million and are expected to help reduce the poverty rate in rural areas.          The village funds in 2018 will be focused on creating job opportunities for villagers through labor-intensive programs and self-managed infrastructure development. Through the programs, the government is optimistic of reducing the poverty rate in 2018.

TRILLIONS OF FUNDS TO FLOW INTO VILLAGERS' POCKETS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Nov 4 (Antara) - The government has since 2015 allocated a total of Rp127.64 trillion in village funds to develop infrastructure and other facilities in villages.         However, in 2018, the government will change its policy by not only focusing on the allocation of the funds for infrastructure development but also on boosting labor-intensive development in villages.         Thus, there is a big chance for villagers to become the beneficiaries of the funds through the development of labor-intensive projects. Projects are expected to be done by villagers through a self-managed system and not by contractors as they used to be.          Based on President Joko Widodo (Jokowi's) labor-intensive program in villages, at least 30 percent of the village funds should be designed as payment for workers in labor-intensive projects.          The government in 2018 will allocate 60 trillion as village funds. If 30 percent of the funds are designed for villagers involved in the labor-intensive program, villagers will be able to pocket Rp18 trillion.          Data based on the program indicates that there are 74,910 villages which will receive the funds. In average, each village will receive Rp800 million, of which 30 percent or Rp240 million will be allocated for villagers who are worker.

GOVT HAS DISBURSED 95 PCT OF VILLAGE FUNDS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 19 (Antara) - In Indonesia, based on data at the Ministry of Home Affairs, there were 81,309 villages in 2013, consisting of 72,944 rural villages and 8,309 urban villages.         Of these villages, some 32 thousand were still categorized as least developed. For this purpose, the government has set aside a village fund to help advance village development.         Till December 16, for example, the government has channeled Rp19.764 trillion as village funds to 308 districts/municipalities, or about 95 percent of the disbursement target of Rp20.76 trillion this year.         "The Ministry of Finance has till December 16 transferred 95 percent, or Rp19.76 trillion, of the funds from the state treasury account to the regional treasure account," Budiarso Teguh, the director general for financial balance affairs of the Ministry of Finance, said in Jakarta Thursday (December 17).

IDEAL FUNDS FOR VILLAGES SHOULD BE SET AT RP64 TRILLION

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, Aug 20 (Antara) - The government announced its 2015 budget plan last week, which comprised Rp640 trillion funding for regions, including 1.4 percent in funds for village development, amounting to Rp9.1 trillion.          Finance Minister Chatib Basri said that, ideally, the village development allocation would be Rp64 trillion, or 10 percent of the transfer of funds for regions, set at Rp640 trillion in the draft 2015 state budget.     "Based on the law on villages, it should be set at 10 percent of the transfer of funds to regions. So, if the amount of fund transfers to regions is Rp640 trillion, the allocation for village development should be set at Rp64 trillion, or ten percent," the finance minister said.          Chatib admitted that the allocation of Rp9.1 trillion for village development funds is not adequate, as the funds were taken from ministries and state institutions' old budgets for village prosperity improvement programs.          "The Rp9.1 trillion is a budget for ministries and state institutions which is to be used for village improvement development. Thus, the draft state budget will only serve as an initial allocation for village development. If it is not adequate, the next government can increase the amount," the minister said.