REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The National Alms Agency (Baznas) is launching a movement program encouraging people to spend money in villages when they return to their hometowns to celebrate post-fasting Ramadan or Lebaran festivities.
"This program is an initial step to develop villages by villagers when they return home from big cities to celebrate Lebaran festivities," Deni Hidayat, the division head for distribution and empowerment of the Baznas said in a press statement here on Sunday.
The Baznas is launching what it calls "Gerakan Devisa Mudik" or home-bound money movement where people who return to their hometowns to celebrate Lebaran and to have family reunions are expected to spend money in villages as part of the effort to develop villages.
Hidayat said that the campaign program is expected to change the people's mindset in using their money when they go home. They are expected to utilize their money for more productive sectors in villages rather than for consumptive things in big cities.
He said the annual Lebaran festivities are able to generate the economic activities in all corners of the country up to remote areas.
The Baznas official said although it is temporary in nature, Lebaran hometown exodus involves a large amount of capital and has a significant social impact.
"During the Lebaran home-bound exodus, the movement of money also happens meaning that there is a chance to generate the real sector, increase economic activities and develop villages," he said.
Based on date available with Bank Indonesia (BI), the central bank, the amount of money circulating during the Lebaran hometowns activities in 2014 reached Rp103 trillion.
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