JAKARTA - The Financial Services Authority (OJK) plays an active role in encouraging the development of rural development, underdeveloped areas and transmigration areas with the Ministry of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Areas and Transmigration (Kemendes PDTT).
This was stated in the memorandum of understanding between the OJK and the Kemendes PDTT, which was jointly signed recently by the Chairman of the OJK Board of Commissioners Wimboh Santoso and the Minister of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Areas and Transmigration Abdul Halim Iskandar.
Through this memorandum of understanding, the OJK will strengthen the existence of BUMDes, namely by increasing institutional and business capacity, expanding financial access and encouraging digitization through the BUMDes Center Optimization program.
In the financial access pillar, OJK will facilitate BUMDes in accessing the financial system, one of which is by becoming a Laku Pandai agent (branchless banking). Meanwhile, in the digitalization pillar, OJK encourages BUMDes to connect with BUMDes special marketplaces, such as www.bwmbumdes.com which synergizes with the Micro Waqf Bank (BWM) program.
Since 2018, OJK has strengthened 29 BUMDes centers in a number of regions. This year, the OJK and the Ministry of Health are targeting strengthening of 30 new BUMDes centers. In early 2020, the agricultural sector KUR Cluster pilot project in Ogan Komering Ulu Timur was synergized with BPD Sumsel Babel. (LM)