PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - Acting West Java Provincial Secretary Taufiq Budi Santoso opened the 2024 West Java Province Village and Community Empowerment Service Regional Apparatus Forum at the Aston Pasteur Hotel, Bandung City, Wednesday (21/2/2024).

On that occasion, Taufiq hoped that this forum would produce priority programs and activities for 2025, especially the development of internet infrastructure for blank spot villages in West Java. Internet infrastructure in villages will have a significant impact on other sectors.

"Eliminating this problem is important because gaps in internet access can increase social, economic and educational disparities," said Taufiq.

As the largest province in Indonesia, with a population of almost 50 million people spread across 18 districts and 9 cities, West Java also has 5,312 villages with varying conditions.

Based on data from the Developing Village Index (IDM) released by the Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration in 2022, it is stated that 359 villages in West Java are still categorized as blank spots, villages with limited or even no internet access.

In order to complete the eradication of blank spot villages, Taufiq asked all elements of Pentahelix to collaborate.

"We can continue to improve village development and we still have several villages that have blank spots. We will try to push this in 2025 together with the West Java Diskominfo, related ministries and business entities so that there are no more villages in West Java that are categorized as blank spots," stressed Taufiq.

With the existence of the Law on Central and Regional Financial Relations, Taufiq suggested that district/city APBD budgets be encouraged for village development needs in various sectors so that regional revenues in 2025 will increase.

This was done considering the aim of the village as a driving force for the economy in West Java.

"City district budgets, especially those related to village development, can be pushed together with the province to improve services to the community in terms of infrastructure, economy, social and health," he said.