Govt to build 600,000 houses

BOYOLALI, Central Java: State Minister for Public Housing Akbar Tanjung announced the government's plan to build 600,000 houses for people in the lower income brackets during the current sixth Five-Year Development Plan period.

"The government wishes to give low-income Indonesians the opportunity to have houses of their own," Akbar was quoted by Antara on Saturday.

He told participants of the Jamboree on Family and Cooperatives Movement in Boyolali that half of the houses to be built would be allocated to civil servants.

He said that the low income employees could buy on credits. Payments will be deducted from their salaries, at rates between Rp 3,000 (US$1.3) to Rp 10,000 per month.

He said that 90,000 houses have already been completed.(imn)