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)