Post-Disaster Recovery: PRR Task Force Urges Regions to Utilise TKD and Grants

The Task Force for the Acceleration of Post-Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction in Sumatra (Satgas PRR) is pushing for fiscal support to be immediately transformed into tangible programmes that can be felt directly by communities affected by disasters. This push comes as fiscal support from the central government and inter-regional grant schemes are made available for post-disaster recovery in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. The government has allocated additional Transfer to Regions (TKD) funds of approximately Rp 10.6 trillion to support the acceleration of rehabilitation and reconstruction, comprising around Rp 1.6 trillion for Aceh, Rp 6.3 trillion for North Sumatra, and Rp 2.6 trillion for West Sumatra. Furthermore, inter-regional financial assistance grants for the worst-affected areas in Aceh have reached approximately Rp 285 billion. Head of the National Command Post for the Sumatra Post-Disaster PRR Task Force, Inspector General Wahyu Bintono Hari Bawono, reminded stakeholders that these budget allocations should not be held up by lengthy administrative processes. He stressed that accelerating budget utilisation is key to achieving community recovery indicators. ‘My hope from the National Command Post of the PRR Task Force is that the existing budget, supported by the Minister of Home Affairs Circular Letter Number 900.1/1084/SJ, is adjusted accordingly, as this relates to recovery and societal progress indicators,’ he said in a written statement on Saturday. Speaking during an online Assistance and Monitoring Meeting for the Use of Additional TKD and Financial Assistance across Aceh on Thursday, he explained that rapid budget realisation is vital to support various urgent needs on the ground, ranging from health services and education to the provision of permanent housing. He noted that several regions still face land acquisition constraints, requiring swift action from local governments to prevent delays in permanent housing construction. ‘There are still some obstacles in several regions; the land is not ready. There are also regions that have not yet obtained suitable land, so the local government is using its own budget to purchase land,’ he said, adding that housing development in other provinces outside Aceh must also receive attention. Beyond accelerating budget realisation, the Task Force also requested that local governments strengthen coordination with ministries and agencies in the regions. This step is necessary to ensure that all rehabilitation and reconstruction programmes align with the Sumatra Post-Disaster Master Plan 2026-2028, which is supported by a total budget of approximately Rp 100.1 trillion. The rehabilitation phase is expected to continue until 2027, while the reconstruction process is targeted for completion by 2028. Therefore, each stage must be implemented in a measured and mutually supportive manner so that the benefits of recovery can be felt sustainably by the community. On the same occasion, the Director General of Regional Finance Development at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Agus Fatoni, confirmed that the government will continue to provide assistance to regions to ensure the use of additional TKD and financial aid is targeted, timely, effective, efficient, and accountable.