Aceh funds mostly for infrastructure

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government is planning to allocate Rp 22.5 trillion (US$2.4 billion), or around 50 percent of the Aceh reconstruction total budget of Rp 45 trillion, for infrastructure projects in the tsunami-stricken province of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam.

State Minister for National Development Planning Sri Mulyani Indrawati said on Wednesday that based on the planned blueprint for the reconstruction of Aceh, the government would focus on reconstructing damaged infrastructure and building new infrastructure.

"Besides the allocation for infrastructure, around Rp 9 trillion of the money will be allocated for education and health programs," she said at the State Palace.

Mulyani said the infrastructure projects would include the construction of roads, bridges, ports, dams, irrigation works and other public facilities.

The funds for the reconstruction of Aceh would be disbursed after the government completed its blueprint.

Mulyani said the blueprint was expected to be completed on March 26 after being approved by the Cabinet early next week.

She said one of the crucial items in the blueprint was a plan to facilitate Acehnese living along the coast who refused to be relocated to other areas. This would involve the construction of barrages to minimize the impact of any possible future tsunamis.