Sutiyoso proposes budget increase

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso said on Monday that his administration planned to increase the 2002 city budget to Rp 8.9 trillion this year, or an almost 10 percent increase on last year's Rp 8.1 trillion.

The draft city budget, which is usually presented and approved before the end of each year, was officially presented by the governor to the council on Monday.

Sutiyoso told the City Council that some Rp 5.61 trillion in the 2002 budget would be allocated for routine expenditure, while the remaining Rp 3.29 trillion would be for 2002 development expenses.

The 2002 routine costs rose slightly, by 2.67 percent compared with 2001's Rp 5.50 trillion. Proposed expenditure on development, however, jumped significantly, by 31.22 percent from last year's.

"Due to slower implementation of the 2002 city budget, we hope it can be approved (by the City Council) by the end of January," Sutiyoso said.

The administration attributed the hefty increase in development expenses to its programs for reinvigorating the ailing economy amid the prolonged impact of the economic crisis.

"Programs for the benefit of the public will account for 61 percent of total development expenditure, while the remaining 39 percent will go on agency expenditure," the administration said in its statement.

In the 2002 budget, the administration has allocated Rp 520.9 billion for education and Rp 336.9 billion for health and social welfare.

The education funds would be used to finance the development of elementary and secondary schools as well as other educational programs, it said, without further elaborating.

Three issues under the spotlight are transportation, water and waste.

The administration will provide Rp 415.36 billion to improve public transportation infrastructure amid mounting complaints about the poor condition of public transportation vehicles.

The administration also allocated Rp 294.70 billion, a 29 percent increase on last year's expenditure, to maintain water resources and control flooding in the capital.

Some Rp 233.56 billion funds will be allocated for improving the city's environment and on the urban design sector, including handling the city's trash amid the imminent closure of Jakarta's main garbage dumpsite at Bantar Gebang by the Bekasi mayoralty due to environmental problems.

To finance security and public order, the administration plans to spend Rp 63.55 billion.