REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MEDAN -- Minister of Rural Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration Marwan Jafar emphasized that one of the priority programs of Jokowi-JK government was developing rural areas by strengthening the rural economy. That's in line with the third Nawa Cita, "Building Indonesia from the periphery to strengthen the regions and villages within the framework of a unitary state."

"Because of economic activities in rural areas in general are smallholder farming or micro-small enterprises which managed traditionally by utilizing agricultural resources or other natural resources that exist in the village," said Marwan in Pre-NU in Medan in a press release on Saturday, May 16.

With the strengthening of the rural economy, said Marwan, it would reduce the inequality between the villages with the town in terms of prosperity and economic progress. If rural economy is strong, inequality between rural and urban areas will automatically be reduced.

On the other hand, according to him, efforts to reduce the gap between rural and urban areas is done by accelerating the development of self-sufficient villages and building local economic linkages between rural and urban areas through the development of rural areas.

"Targets to be achieved, namely the reduction of underdeveloped villages at least 5 thousand villages or the growing number of independent village at least 2 thousand villages," said the PKB politician.

Marwan explained, from 74 094 villages in Indonesia, more than half, namely 39,086 villages (52.78 per cent) in the category of underdeveloped villages, even 17,268 villages (24.48 percent) were very underdeveloped villages, where 1,138 villages located in the border region.

"Underdeveloped village is a village that has not lagged fulfilment of minimum service standards (SPM) on aspects of social needs, infrastructure, facilities, public services, and governance," said Marwan.

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