Idle funds in banks amount to Rp 224 trillion

PANDEGLANG. President Joko Widodo said that a total Rp 224 trillion regional budget funds left in banks is huge. He called on regional administration to speed up budget dibursment to boost economic development. 

Therefore, when then Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani delayed the disbursement of the General Allocation Fund (DAU) amounting to Rp 19,4 trillion this year, the President considered it will not impede economic expansion in region.

"So, if the Rp 224 trillion is only cut by Rp 19 trillion, there is still a lot of money in the bank," he said on Sunday (11/9) in Pandeglang, Banten.

The cut by Rp 19,4 trillion of the DAU funds which are allocated for 169 regional governments is done in the frame work of encouraging the disbursement of funds existing in the regions.

"In order for the economy to move, projects and programs available in the regions should also be realized, so that the amount of budget absorption could be big one," he said.