$200m aid for eastern regions

$200m aid for eastern regions

JAKARTA: The government will receive US$200 million in fresh
loans from the World Bank to improve highways in eastern
Indonesia to accelerate development there, an official said on
Wednesday.

Under the Eastern Indonesia Region Transportation Project
Phase I (EIRTP I), the Ministry of Resettlement and Regional
Infrastructure will upgrade 1,200 kilometers of highways and
5,600 meters of bridges in the next five years in 15 provinces.

Irian Jaya, Maluku and North Maluku will be among the
provinces to receive the money.

The ministry will sign the loan agreement in January 2002 and
the project will kick off two months later.

"The project shows that the government has the political will
to focus on the eastern region," W. Hendrianto N, director
general of regional infrastructure, told the media. -- JP