WB sets $1b for the poor<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The World Bank will provide US$1 billion to
\nlaunch an employment safety net for low-income people currently
\nhit by the economic crisis, the bank's country director for
\nIndonesia Dennis de Tray said yesterday.<\/p>\n
De Tray said the bank's funding would be used to support two
\npublic works programs currency being developed by the National
\nDevelopment Planning Board.<\/p>\n
\"We hope to put in a very substantial amount of money of
\nbetween US$300 million and $500 million in each,\" de Tray told
\njournalists after addressing a luncheon hosted by the Indonesian-
\nAustralian Business Council.<\/p>\n
He said the bank's funds would be used to underwrite the
\ngovernment's own investment. The government itself would
\ntherefore put its money into the programs.<\/p>\n
\"We try to help provide something like a safety net for the
\nvery poorest Indonesians in rural and urban areas currently hit
\nby the crisis,\" he added.<\/p>\n
He said the programs were basically small-scale rural and
\nurban infrastructure projects, which were labor intensive.<\/p>\n
\"We are trying to redirect our resources for existing urban
\nprojects to underwrite simple labor intensive public works, like
\ncleaning canals and so forth, to provide emergency employment for
\nthose people being laid off from construction projects.\" (rid)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/wb-sets-1b-for-the-poor-1447893297",
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