Funds for city projects raised by 129 percent

JAKARTA (JP): The central government has allocated Jakarta Rp 1.16 trillion (US$479.7 million) for the 1997/1998 fiscal year, an increase of 129 percent or Rp 654 billion from the previous year.

The funds were allocated yesterday for 212 projects, while last year the city received Rp 506.2 billion for 113 projects.

The largest amount was allocated to the mines and energy sector, with Rp 564.8 billion, followed by public works (Rp 227.1 billion). Education and culture, with Rp 97.3 billion, was allocated the third largest amount.

Governor Surjadi Soedirdja said yesterday he was grateful for the increase.

The city's own budget is Rp 3.2 trillion, while Surjadi said the ideal figure for Jakarta's needs was Rp 16 trillion.

"If we say it's less than we hoped for, we would never be satisfied," he said.

Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro, who represented President Soeharto, symbolically presented the funds to Surjadi yesterday.

Other ministers presented funds to the country's other 26 governors on behalf of the President yesterday.

The head of the city's development planning board, Budihardjo Soekmadi, said the city also received an additional budget of Rp 95 billion, an increase of Rp 7 billion or 8 percent from the previous year.

The Rp 95 billion was awarded by presidential instruction to support 24 programs such as support for backward villages and the upgrading of school buildings.

President Soeharto said a new component of these funds was additional food for elementary students, which was part of a program for the poor.

Fifty-four percent of the presidential funds was allocated to development at mayoralty levels. (anr/11)