Govt allocates Rp 14.2t for proper sanitation

The Public Works Ministry said Monday the government had allocated Rp 14.2 trillion (US$1.55 billion) from the state budget to build proper sanitation infrastructure.

A director general at the ministry, Budi Yuwono, said only 52 percent of households had access to sufficient sanitation. He said the government targeted to raise the coverage by allocating more funds in the state budget.

"Indonesia targets to increase the number of households with access to sustainable sanitation to 62 percent by 2015," he said.

He added that the low sufficient sanitation level was not only about infrastructure but also about public behavior and understanding on the importance of hygiene, kontan.co.id reported on Monday.