In a bid to empower its community with greater autonomy, the regency administration of Cilacap, Central Java, is planning to work on a number of local potential projects by 2010 at the latest, an official has said.

"We have prepared several exclusive projects and are ready to offer them to a number of prospective investors," head of Cilacap's Integrated Licensing Service Office (KPPT) Indar Yuli Nyataningrum told The Jakarta Post recently.

Among the projects is developing the agro-industrial sector such as the people's rubber plantations, goat breeding and cattle rearing for meat production.

She said the people's rubber plantation project would require an investment of Rp 60 billion (US$ 5.2 million) to develop sustainable rubber plantation areas.

"A 5,000-hectare area has been prepared for the project. We hope to extend the area by 1,000 ha each year," Indar said.

The regency administration, according to Indar, has promised to facilitate investors with licensing for the project, as well as providing factory sites and technical guidance.

Tourism, according to Indar, is another sector that the regency administration would develop as part of efforts to empower its people economically. This would include the development of Bengawan Adiraja Sea World, a marine tourism resort and Jambusari Family Park.

Bengawan Adiraja Sea World, she said, was designed as a blend between the undersea world and the two mountains that sandwich the Bengawan Adiraja River not far from the coast.

"It is expected to cost Rp 45 billion to build and is located on a five hectare plot belonging to the regency administration. So, there's no problem with the land," Indar said.

Cilacap, one of the 35 regencies in Central Java, is situated geographically in the most southern end of the province, bordering Kebumen in the east, Ciamis (West Java) in the west and Banyumas in the north.

With a population of 1.7 million people scattered in its 24 districts and 284 villages, Cilacap is potentially rich in marine resources waiting to be tapped.

Its coast is lined with a number of vital facilities including the Tanjung Intan harbor, the state-owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina's Processing Unit IV and the steam-powered electricity generating station.

"We're convincing anyone who wants to invest here that Cilacap has adequate facilities and the infrastructure to do so. We guarantee incentives and security for their businesses," Indar assured.

Owing to the potential projects, she went on, the regency administration had started working on a major project this year, the PLTU Bunton steam-powered electricity generator worth Rp 6 trillion.

The project, which is located in Adipala district some 20 kilometers west of Bunton, is the second that the regency has built. In 2006 Cilacap successfully built the PLTU Karangkandri that has a total daily output of 600 megawatts, Indar said.

"We will also build two LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) stations to supplement the one owned by Pertamina Cilacap," she added.

Separately, Cilacap regency administration spokesman Aris Munandar expressed optimism that the regency would become independent thanks to its richness in natural resources.

"We have an industrial area not far from the port. We have adequate facilities to spur our economic growth," said Aris.

With an average annual economic growth of 4.16 percent and a regional original income of Rp 78.8 billion, Aris said, Cilacap has been projected as a growing industrial city in addition to being the city of fishermen. Cilacap is home to some 35,000 fishermen.

"We are openly offering third parties investment opportunities in a number of projects, both in the agro-industrial and tourism sectors. We welcome investors and guarantee incentives and security," he said.

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