Erna's office to launch fuel-recovery program
Erna's office to launch fuel-recovery program
JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Settlement and Regional
Infrastructure is set to launch a massive three-month recovery
program, involving 4,895 villages in 14 provinces outside Java,
using funds from the fuel subsidy worth some Rp 300 billion.
According to minister Erna Witoelar, the program, dubbed the
community empowerment program, is designed to assist destitute
people and build decent infrastructures for their villages.
The funds are from the remaining budgeted but unused fuel
subsidy totaling around Rp 800 billion and will be distributed to
related ministries for alleviation of poverty, Erna explained in
a media briefing on Friday afternoon.
Two related ministries are the Ministry of Home Affairs and
Regional Autonomy and the State Ministry for Cooperatives and
Small/Medium Enterprises.
"With the hike in fuel price by up to 12 percent scheduled for
this fiscal year, there will be a drop in fuel subsidy from Rp 44
trillion to Rp 43.2 trillion.
"So the government plans to use the unspent subsidy to work on
poverty eradication, and my office expects to receive around Rp
300 billion that will be officially set in the coordination
meeting on economic affairs on Monday," Erna said.
The massive recovery project, slated to start from October to
December this year, will involve 4,895 villages, 255 districts
and 47 regencies in 14 provinces outside Java.
"We will give priority to eastern Indonesia region. Every
village is estimated to receive between Rp 50 million to Rp 96
million. Each district, however, will get an amount between Rp
870 million and Rp 1.6 billion," the ministry staffer Rubini
Yusuf, said.
In a bid to avoid possible fraud or malfeasance, the proposals
for building or rehabilitating the village would come from the
people from community welfare organizations, Erna said.
"Each village community will decide for itself. Whether they
need road repairs, a bridge, port, clean water, schools,
community health center or dam, the people are the ones who know
their needs.
"The government only provides the funds and joint supervision
with local communities at every level of administration," she
said.
The three-month program is expected to absorb some 14,685,000
man days/village, she said.
"The people will also decide the wages, usually based on the
minimum wage in each region. It also depends on the kind of
project, repair or new construction," she said.
Erna also reiterated that the scheme would run effectively.
"We are in no hurry to disburse the funds. If the funds are not
completely used in three months, we will allot the unused monies
for the next fiscal year. Now is not the time to waste money,"
she added. (edt)