"I thank you for your services to the rural communities," President Jokowi stated.
The Government has paid major attention to villages, so it has provided Village Funds, the president noted.
The central government has allocated Village Funds, totaling Rp257 trillion, for the period from 2015 to 2019, he stated.
The funds should be circulated from village to village and not go to cities, particularly Jakarta, he emphasized.
The president also revealed that the central government will soon revise government regulations (PP) on salary of rural apparatus to make their salaries at par with those of civil servants of Group II a by also taking into account their years of service.
"Both PP 43 and PP47 will be revised, and within two weeks at the latest, after today, will be completed," he stated.
President Jokowi remarked that villages heads and apparatuses will also be covered by health and manpower insurances, or BPJS.
"Hence, after we meet here, ladies and gentlemen, there is no need to protest in front of the Palace. Let us return to our respective regions safely," he noted.
Mudjito, head of the Indonesian Rural Administration Apparatuses, expressed gratitude to President Jokowi for meeting them.
Reporting by Agus salim, fardah
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
