City proposes extra funding for construction projects
City proposes extra funding for construction projects
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The city administration has proposed an additional Rp 500 billion
(US$55.55 million) for the 2004 city budget, increasing the total
budget to Rp 12.8 trillion if the City Council grants its
approval.
City Secretary Ritola Tasmaya said on Tuesday that the
additional budget would be used to complete a number of
infrastructure projects including underpasses, school
construction, land acquisition and busway corridor construction.
Last December, the council approved a Rp 12.3 trillion city
budget for this year. This is more than last year's Rp 11.65
trillion.
"We hope the council will approve the additional budget
proposed so that the projects can proceed," he said.
Ritola said the administration proposed Rp 68 billion in
additional budget for underpass projects in Senen, Central
Jakarta; Tomang, West Jakarta, and Cawang, East Jakarta.
The administration proposed Rp 60 billion for developing two
busway corridors from Pulogadung, East Jakarta, to the National
Monument (Monas), Central Jakarta, and from Monas to Kalideres,
West Jakarta.
Other projects to be funded by the additional budget include
school construction, worth Rp 93 billion, and land acquisition
for the East Flood Canal, worth Rp 100 billion.
Ritola said financial sources for the additional budget
proposed would be raised from an expected increase in tax revenue
from various sectors. He said the administration had estimated it
would receive additional tax revenue of Rp 600 billion by year-
end.
He added that another financial source was the city reserve
fund as the administration had proposed to utilize Rp 240 billion
of its Rp 800 billion reserve fund.
Council deputy chairman Ibnu Sumantri said councillors would
complete deliberations on the proposal before their tenure ended
on Aug. 25.
He promised that all deliberations would be held as open
meetings.
The council and the administration have been criticized for
their non-transparent budget deliberations, through the holding
of closed-door meetings.