Jakarta welcomes rural development program

Jakarta welcomes rural development program

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Surjadi Soedirdja says that the program
to modernize rural areas will help deal with the problem of
migration to the capital city.

The governor said yesterday that the program called Angga Suka
Desa, which deals with the development of modern society in
villages, will ultimately benefit Jakarta in the long run.

Surjadi, in his capacity as chairman of the City-Village
Cooperation Board, and Minister of Population Haryono Suyono
signed an agreement yesterday to implement the city-village
partnership program.

The board will provide consultants to train the villagers in
business, marketing and other areas.

Without explaining how the program will be implemented,
Surjadi said that efforts will be made to make rural areas as
attractive as big cites. "This way unskilled people will not be
lured away and will prefer to stay in the villages."

The governor said that developing rural areas was the key to
slow the problem of migration to Jakarta, which has been plaguing
the city administration for decades.

Records

Records show that in 1995, Jakarta had more than 400,000
newcomers, while in 1994 the number was 314,000.

Governor Surjadi also said that balanced development would
make villages more self reliant and reduce poverty.

The administration has been working to overcome the flow of
people from rural areas, especially the unskilled.

"Jakarta is very attractive to unskilled people from rural
areas, which cannot provide them with jobs," he said.

He said the unskilled residents have been creating serious
problems for Jakarta, citing the growth of slum areas in
prohibited areas like riverbanks.

"They are living on the riverbanks and the city administration
is trying to normalize the river as part of its flood control
system. This means they have to move out from the riverbanks," he
said. (yns)