Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) gave a special directive to local governments to harmonize use of the regional budget with the central government's policies.

President Jokowi made this statement at the event to submit the Digital Budget Implementation List (DIPA) and the 2024 Regional Transfer Allocation List (TKD) at the State Palace here on Wednesday.

"Regional governments need to strengthen synergy and harmonization with central government policies. This means that the regional budget must be synergistic with central government policies," Jokowi stressed.

The head of state emphasized that aligning regional budget utilization with central policies is necessary to equalize development in the country.

The president remarked that regional governments should conduct their duty to ensure that projects built by the central government operate well.

"For what if the central government has built reservoirs, (but) its irrigation, which is the task of the region, is not carried out," he pointed out.

Jokowi considers it to be pointless when a large port built by the central government is not connected with provincial, district, and city roads.

"For what? We have built toll roads, so the provincial and district and city governments should connect them with industrial, tourist, agricultural, and plantation areas. I need to emphasize this," he stressed.

The president also urged regions to utilize the transferred funds to improve public services, such as education, health, and infrastructure, as well as develop alternative financing innovations.

"To maintain the investment climate is the key to economic growth. We need investment, so the investment climate in all regions must be positive," he remarked.

He also reminded that absorption of the 2024 budget will start in January, so the remaining of this year's budget allocation should be spent immediately.

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Translator: Rangga, Andi, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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