Bantul – According to Abdul Halim Iskandar, Minister of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration, village development in Indonesia has been considerable, and it is vital to continue development efforts in rural regions.
“We say that the villages have extremely exceptional progress; living in the villages is much more comfortable, prosperous, and happier,” Iskandar said on Wednesday in Yogyakarta’s Bantul district.
He made the statement after visiting a Village SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) Data Reading and Utilization event hosted by the ministry and the Bantul administration in Munthuk village, Dlingo sub-district, Bantul.
Life in villages is currently better than in cities, thus the village community is urged to stay in the village in order to jointly realize progress and become more prosperous, according to Iskandar.
“Therefore, do not be easily tempted by empty promises or show-offs; the idea is—do not be influenced by the invitation to (work/live) in the city,” he continued.
According to the minister, village development can be carried out by the village government and its inhabitants by utilizing data on village SDGs, which map out micro problems and village potentials.
As a result, the ministry conducted an event in Munthuk and Segoroyoso villages to encourage the use of data, given that the SDG data in both villages had been finished.
“Because the data will be meaningless if it cannot be read, then it cannot be used,” Iskandar explained.
According to the minister, data on village SDGs may aid in development planning and execution, as well as serve as a benchmark for effective village performance.
For example, he stated that local SDG data can be used to map out poverty reduction targets.