Cooperatives Day to be celebrated

JAKARTA (JP): This year's simultaneous commemoration of national cooperative, agriculture and family planning day will be centered in Wonogiri, Central Java, on July 14, 1994.

Minister of Cooperatives and Small Enterprises Subiakto Tjakrawerdaya confirmed the date after meeting with President Soeharto at the Bina Graha presidential office to report on preparations for the commemoration yesterday.

Also attending the meeting were Minister of Population and Chairman of the National Family Planning Board Haryono Suyono and Central Java Governor Suardi.

"We have decided to center the commemoration in Wonogiri in line with the ongoing efforts to alleviate poverty through a cooperative movement in that poor regency," he said.

He added that President Soeharto is scheduled to attend the ceremony in the regency where around 20,000 families were still living below the poverty line.

He said that the central government meant to eradicate poverty in the regency within two years, one year ahead of the target set by the Central Java administration.

He said that his ministry has given financial assistance worth Rp 1.3 billion to over 3,000 families in 14 villages to help develop their small animal husbandry enterprises.

He added that the government would also build power supply systems to villages throughout the regency to give local people more access to information through the electronic media. (rms)