West Java Governor Plans Merger of Several Regional Agencies to Save Budget

Efficiency is the key. The goal is to have a smaller structure but with greater functionality.

Bandung (ANTARA) - West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi is planning to merge several Regional Apparatus Organisations (OPD) within the West Java Provincial Government to save the budget, particularly regarding routine expenses such as office supplies, official travel costs, and stationery.

This structural efficiency measure for the West Java Provincial Government is targeted to take effect in the upcoming fiscal year. The resulting savings will be redirected to directly fund public development programmes.

“Yes, efficiency. So that the structure is small but the functions are many. Once unified, the budget allocations for West Java Province will be larger for development interests, especially for education, health, and infrastructure services,” said Dedi Mulyadi at the West Java Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) building in Bandung on Friday.

Dedi outlined the mapping of several OPDs that are potential candidates for merger or performance adjustment, namely:

• Bappeda (Regional Development Planning Agency): To be merged with the Regional Research and Development Agency (Balitbangda).

• Environmental Agency (DLH): To include Spatial Planning elements.

• Cooperatives Agency: To be merged with the Industry and Trade Agency (Disperindag).

• DP3AKB (Women’s Empowerment, Child Protection, Population, Family Planning and Gender Equality Agency): To be merged with the Population and Civil Registry Agency (Disdukcapil).

• Water Resources Agency (SDA): To be merged with the Highways and Spatial Planning Agency (DBMPR).

• Tourism and Culture Agency (Disparbud): To be merged with the Youth and Sports Agency (Dispora).

“Yes, this will take effect in next year’s budget,” Dedi stated regarding the certainty of implementing this departmental simplification policy.