VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Finance Ministry has provided general allocation funds (DAU) of Rp370.80 billion for provinces, districts, and cities in West Papua and Southwest Papua for January 2023.

Preparations for allocating the funds to 12 regional governments had been conducted since December 2022, with the total disbursement made by the State Treasury Office (KPPN) reaching Rp370.80 billion, head of the West Papua office of the Directorate General of Treasury, Bayu Andy Prasetya, said in Manokwari on Tuesday.

"On January 2, 2023, all KPPNs, those being the Manokwari, Sorong, and Fakfak KPPNs, transferred the allocation fund for January 2023 period to the Regional General Cash Accounts (RKUD) of each regional government in the West Papua and Southwest Papua regions," he informed.

He said that the mechanism for distributing the 2023 DAU was different from the one adopted last year, under which the fund distribution was made through the State Treasury Office (KPPN) of the respective region.

"Changes in the policy and mechanism for disbursement of general allocation funds are aimed at bringing closer and improving services to regional governments," he explained.

Overall, the fiscal capacity of West Papua in 2023 is Rp29.83 trillion, an increase of Rp2.09 trillion compared to 2022, when the fiscal capacity consisted of spending on institutional ministries and allocations for Transfers to Regions (TKD).

"Ministry and institution spending amounted to Rp8.05 trillion, an increase of Rp120 billion, and the allocation of TKD for West Papua and Southwest Papua provinces amounted to Rp21.78 trillion, an increase of Rp1.97 trillion compared to one of 2022 of Rp19.81 trillion," Prasetya informed.

Of the total general allocation fund, Rp72.72 billion has been disbursed to West Papua province, Rp32.88 billion to Manokwari district, Rp41.77 billion to Fakfak district, Rp25.01 billion to Teluk Bintuni district, Rp31.47 billion to Kaimana district, Rp13.49 billion to Arfak Highlands district, Rp27.06 billion to Sorong district, Rp22.78 billion to South Sorong district, Rp23.28 billion to Raja Ampat district, Rp23.98 billion to Tambrauw district, Rp23.04 billion to Maybrat district, and Rp33.27 billion to Sorong city.

"In accordance with the Finance Minister Decree Number 44/KM.7/2022, in the event that the regional government does not submit regional financial data or information, a delay in the distribution of general allocation fund block grants can be made," he said. (antaranews)