City planning needs support

Governor Surjadi Soedirdja has asked universities in Jakarta to support Jakarta's nine planning strategies established in 1992 in order to alleviate the city's population problem, especially in the most impoverished areas.

"It is important that universities help and support the city programs with their knowledge," Surjadi told university rectors Wednesday evening.

He explained that the city plans to build low-cost apartments to improve slum areas. The apartments will be part of an effort to beautify Jakarta and to provide green spaces for social activities.

Last week the governor laid the cornerstone for the construction of four low-cost apartment projects in Bendungan Hilir, Karet Tengsin and Jati Bunder in Central Jakarta and another one in Tebet Barat in South Jakarta.

The nine strategic plans aim to eradicate slum areas, reduce high population growth rate, manage the growing private sector, improve public services for the poor, upgrade civil servant performance, develop a better transportation infrastructure, increase regional revenues, implement integrated development policies and improve sanitary conditions of the environment. (yns)