CRITICAL REVIEW ON THE APPRORIATENESS OF THE ADJUSTMENT OF VILLAGE FUND FOR DIRECT VILLAGE FUND CASH ASSISTANCE (BLT-DD) IN COVID-19 PANDEMI
Dr. Mailinda Eka Yuniza, S.H., LL.M., Melodia Puji Inggarwati, S.H.

Faculty of Law, Universitas Gadjah Mada

Abstract

The presence of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has created critical problems for Village Fund (DD) management in Indonesia. Village Fund, which was previously prioritized to finance village development and empowerment of village communities, at the time of the pandemic was used for handling COVID-19 through the distribution of direct village fund cash assistance (BLT-DD). The adjustment of Village Fund for BLT-DD raises questions and controversy in the community, especially regarding the appropriateness of this choice and what is the justification. This paper will analyze the appropriateness of the government^s justification by presenting the advantages and disadvantages of reducing village funds and changing the priority of their use for the BLT-DD. Researchers will provide an overview of the benefits of village funds for community and village development and what problems might arise as a result of this policy. This research is a juridical-normative study using relevant secondary data which collected and processed through literature study and analyzed them qualitatively. The results of this study indicate that the change in village fund policy is the government^s good faith to face the pandemic. However, this is not appropriate from the perspective of the historical presence and the purpose of the village funds.

Keywords: COVID-19 Pandemic,Village Fund,Village Fund Management Policy, Village Fund Priority

Topic: Governance and Anti-Corruption