Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Village funds in 2019 will be prioritized for use in community empowerment activities, village economy, and village innovation, Development of Village, Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration Minister Eko Putro Sandjojo stated.

"With almost adequate basic infrastructure in many villages in Indonesia, the priority for the use of village funds began to be directed more towards community empowerment activities and empowering the village economy," Sandjojo remarked here on Monday.

Through community empowerment and economic empowerment programs, he noted that the funds in 2019 will be used to create independent villages.

The minister pointed out that a village head in Tasikmalaya, West Java, had been able to build an international football field at a considerable cost, and the field is leased at a rental fee of Rp500 thousand to several clubs.

"Every day, the football field is rented by two clubs, and until now, the schedule is full for the use of the field for the next two months," the minister remarked.

With some 30 thousand village innovations across the country, Sandjojo noted that the Ministry of Village, Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration is working along with World Bank to offer assistance in the Village Innovation Exchange program in 434 districts across Indonesia.

The Village Innovation Exchange program aims to support incubation, so that the village community makes innovations with the utilization of village funds to improve human resources and create economic activities that are in accordance with the potential of their villages.

"The results of these innovations are documented both in the form of written documents and videos, so that they can be followed and developed by people from other villages in Indonesia," the minister added.

Reporting by Indriani
Editing by Otniel, Rahmad

Reporter: Antara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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