National

Half of Reconstruction Funds for Infrastructure
Thursday, 17 March, 2005 | 20:28 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The government intends to allocate about 50 percent of the rehabilitation and reconstruction program funding in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam province following the earthquakes and tsunami waves for infrastructure development.

According to State Minister for Development Planning Sri Mulyani Indrawati, concurrently Head of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), total funding for rehabilitation and reconstruction in Aceh will amount to Rp45 trillion over five years.

“This because of the high level of damage,” the minister told reporters at the State Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday (16/3).

According to Sri Mulyani, the infrastructure sector covered road development, electricity, telecommunications, clean water and irrigation, as well as harbors and airports.

Following infrastructure, funds amounting to around Rp9 trillion during the same period will be allocated to the education and health sectors.

The master plan for rehabilitation and reconstruction in Aceh is scheduled to be completed by March 26.

Next week, said Sri Mulyani, the government will discuss the master plan during a cabinet meeting.

One of the focuses of the master plan discussion for Aceh’s reconstruction, according to the minister, is the security factor in carrying out the relocation the people who live in the area, which was destroyed by the tsunami waves.

Budi Rizal/Abdul Manan