The central government hopes local administrations in Kalimantan will help ease the land-acquisition process for infrastructure developments in the region as it has allocated Rp 9
The central government hopes local administrations in Kalimantan will help ease the land-acquisition process for infrastructure developments in the region as it has allocated Rp 9.8 trillion (US$757 million) of state funds for the projects.
The projects in Kalimantan are part of the efforts to boost infrastructure developments in places outside Java.
'We hope that we can cooperate well with governors and regents in the region, especially in terms of land acquisition to realize these plans,' Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said during the 2015 Kalimantan Regional Development Planning Forum (Musrenbang) on Tuesday.
Data from the ministry show that more than half of the funding for the region will be allocated to Bina Marga Directorate General to develop road networks.
'The Dutch settled in Sumatra and Java, therefore they built the road networks on those islands. Meanwhile in Kalimantan, we have to build the road infrastructure from scratch,' Basuki told reporters.
The minister said the government would kick off the construction of the Balikpapan-Samarinda toll road this year to improve logistics and transportation in the region. The government will use a $65 million loan from China and allocate Rp 350 billion from the state budget.
'We will also complete the construction of the Tayan Bridge [in West Kalimantan], which will be the longest bridge in Kalimantan, in August this year,' the minister added.
The 3.45-kilometer long bridge is being built over the Kapuas River and is part of the Trans-Kalimantan highway. The bridge is expected to help boost the province's economic growth and tourism potential.
Basuki added that the ministry would also begin the construction of four dams in Kalimantan this year, including in Marangkayu and Tritip in East Kalimantan, as well as Riam Kiwa in South Kalimantan.
The ministry has also set aside Rp 700 billion in the revised state budget to build housing in border areas this year. Around Rp 300 billion of the funds will be allocated for West Kalimantan.
In the 2015 revised state budget, the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry has allocated a total of Rp 118 trillion, which is set to finance around 12,000 projects. As of this month, around 5,000 projects have been opened for tender, according to Basuki.
Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Indroyono Susilo meanwhile said the government would begin the feasibility study for a maritime techno park, a research and business center, in Penajam Pasir Utara in East Kalimantan this year.
'We decided to initiate this project in Penajam Pasir Utara because of its location, which is in the center of the country. We've also considered the existing businesses such as oil and gas companies in that area,' Indroyono said. 'Later this month we will present the initial design and we will also invite potential investors,' he continued.
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