Minister Asks for a Halt to New Alfamart-Indomart Permits in Villages: To Prevent Undermining Local Businesses
The Minister of Villages and Transmigration Development, Yandri Susanto, intends to halt the issuance of new permits for the establishment of Alfamart and Indomart so that the Merah Putih Village Cooperative (Kopdes) program can run smoothly. The Minister admitted that there have been complaints, especially from village shop owners, who are struggling to compete with minimarkets.
“For minimarkets such as Indomart and Alfamart, they can continue operating. I have never proposed that they be closed. What I am asking is for new permits to be halted,” he said during a collaboration event for the Merah Putih Kopdes with the Family Hope Program in Ranjeng Village, Ciruas District, Serang Regency, Banten, some time ago, as quoted on Thursday (April 26).
The Minister said that the presence of minimarkets in villages should not undermine local businesses. According to him, village shop owners will lose if they compete with retail chains.
According to the Minister, the sixth principle of President Prabowo’s Astacita is to promote equitable economic development in villages through the Merah Putih Kopdes program.
He added that the profits of the Kopdes, which can be at least 20 percent, can become the Village’s Original Income (PAD). Meanwhile, the remaining profits from the cooperative can be managed for the benefit of the village community.
According to him, all stakeholders can work together to build the village economy and prevent the negative social impacts of rapid urbanization.
The Minister of Villages, Yandri, said that villages and sub-district offices are at the forefront of developing the Merah Putih Cooperative.
“For equitable economic development, the Merah Putih Village Cooperative is an effective and accurate tool to ensure that equity truly exists,” he said. (H-4)
The target is that all of these outlets will be operational by 2026. Currently, efforts are being made through Agrinas and the TNI, which we often coordinate from the Korem and Kodim.
The Deputy Minister of Cooperatives, Farida Farichah, views KSP Nasari as a strategic partner for the government in promoting financial inclusion and local economic empowerment.
This policy is an important part of the broader agenda of national economic equity and also reaffirms the role of cooperatives as a new pillar of economic development.
To date, 83,763 units of Merah Putih Village/Sub-district Cooperatives have been established throughout Indonesia. Komdigi is making efforts to digitize cooperatives with connectivity infrastructure.
The Minister of Cooperatives, Ferry Juliantono, revealed that currently, village/sub-district cooperatives (kopdes/kel) can manage mining operations.