All subdistricts to get public services fund<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The city administration is planning to allocate Rp 2 billion
\n(US$210,000) for each of the city's 267 subdistricts in a bid to
\nimprove public services in the capital, an official says.<\/p>\n
\"We plan to implement the public service improvement project
\nin all 267 subdistricts and 44 districts next year,\" head of
\ncity's regional administration bureau Agus Salim Utud said.<\/p>\n
The amount, if approved by the City Council, doubles the Rp 1
\nbillion received by 50 subdistricts and 10 districts in the 2005
\nbudget.<\/p>\n
Under the current arrangement, each subdistrict is required to
\nsubmit a project proposal to receive financing. Generally, the
\nproposal covers various areas including sanitation, security,
\ncommunity health and flood mitigation measures.<\/p>\n
Many subdistrict heads welcomed the planned increase, saying
\nthat the move would particularly improve welfare of subdistrict
\nofficials.<\/p>\n
\"As the frontliners of public services in the city, our
\nincome, for example, is much smaller than those officials from
\nthe City Treasury, but starting next year our welfare is expected
\nto improve significantly,\" said a subdistrict head in North
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
According to Utud, based on an initial evaluation conducted by
\nhis office, the pilot projects have not been carried out based on
\nthe initial objective to improve public services.<\/p>\n
He said many subdistricts used the money for honorariums for
\nofficials in the subdistricts, not for projects that directly
\naffected the community.<\/p>\n
Utud added that with the fund, a subdistrict could improve
\nsanitation by employing locals in garbage collection, for
\nexample. The fund could also be used to maintain drainage systems
\nto prevent floods in their areas.<\/p>\n
\"Frankly, we have not been happy with the implementation of
\nthe pilot projects,\" he said referring to the 50 subdistricts and
\n12 districts that received Rp 1 billion in 2005.<\/p>\n
He also recorded irregularities in the spending of the funds
\nin several subdistricts. He gave an example that Petamburan
\nsubdistrict in Central Jakarta used part of the fund for the
\nmaintenance of the subdistrict head's service vehicle.<\/p>\n
According to him, a maintenance fund for the service cars of
\nsubdistrict heads had been allocated by the municipal
\nadministrations.<\/p>\n
\"We have received reports from each subdistrict about the use
\nof the funds from January to May and we will check each
\nsubdistrict. We will also give a warning to those subdistricts
\nwhere irregularities have occurred,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the Jakarta Residents Forum (Fakta) Azas Tigor
\nNainggolan said that the plan to increase public service funds
\nmanaged by subdistricts was a good idea to improve public
\nservices.<\/p>\n
But he stressed that a thorough evaluation was needed of the
\ncurrent implementation of the pilot projects before the city
\nadministration make a decision to go ahead with the projects in
\nother subdistricts.<\/p>\n
\"A comprehensive evaluation of such projects is needed.
\nOtherwise, the fund will also be used to enrich officials in
\nsubdistricts,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Asked why the administration insisted on going ahead with the
\nproject amid rampant irregularities, Utud said that his office
\nhad been tasked to continuously monitor the implementation of the
\npilot projects.<\/p>\n
\"We will closely monitor the implementation of the projects,
\nnoting all weaknesses that need to be improved so that the
\nproject will be implemented in accordance with the original
\nobjective of improving public services in the subdistricts,\" he
\nadded.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/all-subdistricts-to-get-public-services-fund-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}