Index rates Jakarta as top province
Index rates Jakarta as top province
JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta, Yogyakarta and North Sulawesi are
regarded the best three provinces out of Indonesia's 27,
according to the human development index (HDI), while Irian Jaya,
West Nusa Tenggara and East Timor are the worst.
The information was disclosed yesterday by a Central Bureau of
Statistics (BPS) official, who also said that East Java, the
country's most populated and second strongest economic power
after Jakarta, only ranked 21st.
"We do not mean to push someone into a corner with the
issuance of the index because Indonesian human development
performance only reveals criteria," bureau chairman Sugito Suwito
said yesterday after meeting with President Soeharto at the Bina
Graha presidential office.
Sugito reported, among other things, the result of the 1996
Social Economic National Survey to Soeharto.
Indonesia used as a basic model, with some readjustments for
its particular needs, the United Nations Development Program's
human development index which does not only focus on economic
growth but also social welfare, basic needs and human resources
development.
"Life expectancy also improves to 66 from the previous year's
65," Sugito noted.
The UNDP index has three main indicators: life expectancy and
health; knowledge and skills; and the opportunity to implement
knowledge and skills, social welfare and human resources
development
Indonesia's HDI comprises life expectancy, adult literacy rate
and the average years of schooling. It also measures the equality
of purchasing power. Unlike the UNDP, however, it does not take
into account human freedom or gender empowerment in its
calculations.
According to the UNDP 1996 human development report, Indonesia
ranks 102nd among 174 countries surveyed in terms of human
development achievement.
According to Indonesia, the HDI for the 27 provinces in 1996
averaged about 70 from the ideal figure of 100.
"The census results show that our development is on the right
track," Sugito noted.
Of the 27 provinces, Jakarta ranks first with the highest HDI
of 77.5, followed by Yogyakarta with 74 and North Sulawesi 73.3.
Other provinces whose HDI exceeds 70 are: Central Kalimantan,
North Sumatra, Riau, East Kalimantan, Bali, Bengkulu, South
Sumatra, Jambi and Aceh.
Provinces whose HDI is between 65 and 70 are: Lampung, Central
Java, West Java, West Sumatra, Maluku, Southeast Sulawesi, South
Kalimantan, South Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi and East Java.
Provinces with HDI between 60 and 65 are: West Kalimantan,
East Nusa Tenggara and Irian Jaya.
West Nusa Tenggara's index is between 55 to 60, while East
Timor is less than 55. (prb)