IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POLICY ON THE DECENTRALIZATION OF POPULATION ADMINISTRATION (A STUDY ON IMPROVING PUBLIC SERVICES AT THE BANDUNG REGENCY POPULATION AND CIVIL REGISTRATION OFFICE IN 2024)

The policy of decentralizing Population Administration Affairs has relegated the Bandung Regency Population and Civil Registration Office (Disdukcapil) to the role of a mere service provider, resulting in suboptimal Population Administration Services due to its limited authority. This study employs the framework proposed by Cheema and Rondinelli (1983), which encompasses: environmental conditions, inter-organizational relationships, resources, and characteristics of implementing agencies. This study employs a descriptive research method with a qualitative approach, positioning the researcher as the primary instrument. Data sources were obtained from agencies and service users, and data collection was conducted through observation, interviews, and document analysis. The collected data was processed through the following stages: data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. The results of this study indicate that environmental conditions are constrained by limited authority and inadequate physical infrastructure. Inter-organizational relations are constrained by inconsistencies in the mapping of functions based on regulations and the lack of a structure for implementing service units as mandated by Law No. 24 of 2013. Regarding resource availability, constraints persist due to limited human resources. In the implementation of the Population Administration Decentralization policy, the characteristics of implementing institutions—specifically regarding the skills and commitment of implementers—need to be improved. The conclusion regarding the implementation of the Population Administration Decentralization policy in Bandung Regency is that there are constraints related to limited regional authority, limited supporting service infrastructure, limited human resources, and the commitment of implementing elements that need to be improved. The suggested concept and novelty of this study is adaptive decentralization, taking into account efficiency, accountability, externalities, and national strategic interests, which should be further tested in future government studies.