The importance of citizen involvement in village development planning

Village planning and budgeting is a process that is interrelated and both cannot be separated from each other. The village budgeting planning process must be based on the Village Law Number 6 of 2014, which is further regulated through Government Regulation No.43 of 2014 as amended by PP No.47/2015.

Village development planning is the process of stages of activities organized by the village government by involving the Village Consultative Body (BPD) and participatory community elements for the use and allocation of village resources in order to achieve village development goals.

In accordance with the provisions of Article 97 of the Village Law, there are two types of village development planning. First, the Village Medium -Term Development Plan (RPJM Village), which was prepared in a period of 6 (six) years, followed the term of office of the village head. Second, the village annual development plan called the Village Government Work Plan (RKP Desa). RKP Desa is a description of the village RPJM for a period of 1 (one) year.

The results of the village planning process are the Village RPJM document and the Village RKP. Both of these village planning documents are determined through village or perdes regulations. The village budgeting process must be consistent with village planning.

What is village budgeting? Village budgeting is the process of preparing a financial plan within a period of 1 (one) fiscal year, which is guided by village development planning documents. In village budgeting, there are two things that must be considered, namely transparent and accountable.

Transparent village budgeting means that all activities in village budgeting may not be covered up. The budget must be real, clear, read, and open. Accountable means that village budgeting must be accounted for in accordance with statutory regulations. All village budgets contained in the APBDes are obliged to report, explain and account for.

Because now the village community as the mandate owner of the village government. So, the entire village community must be involved in village development, including in village budgeting planning. Benefits of citizen involvement in village budgeting planning, including the following:

1. The rights of citizens as village owners to find out the village plan, the decision making process for all citizens, as well as the reasons for making a public decision more guaranteed so that it can provide certainty that there are no residents left behind in village development;

2. Encourage citizen participation in the policy making process; increase the active role of citizens in making public policy and good village government management;

3. Realizing good state administration, which is open, effective and efficient, and can be accounted for;

4. Improve basic services at the village level, especially for female citizens, people with disabilities and poor people know the reasons for public policies that affect the lives of many people;

5. Develop science and educate the life of the nation; and/or
Improve management and information services in the village planning and budgeting process and produce quality information services.

Large space that has been given to the village, do not be narrowed anymore. Give the village the opportunity to take care and regulate themselves in accordance with the authority they have. The way may be different, our goal is the same, which is to realize a village that is advanced, strong, independent, just and democratic.