T

he Public Works and Housing Ministry and state-owned housing developer PT Perumnas will team up to start working on a program to build 1 million homes over the next five years.

Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said the government would start work this year to reduce the backlog in the implementation of the housing program, Antara news agency reported on Thursday.

Basuki said the government had already earmarked Rp 13 trillion (US$986.4 million) from the state budget and Rp 500 million from the Social Security Executive Body (BPJS) for the program to build the housing units.

In a bid to accelerate implementation of the program, Perumnas will receive Rp 1 trillion to build houses for low-income people.

Basuki said the government would improve Perumnas by expanding its role, which would include managing the houses constructed and land previously controlled by the ministry.

Perumnas President Director Himawan Arief Sugoto said his company planned to build 33,500 units of low-cost housing and operate low-cost apartments in 2015.

Himawan said in 2014, Perumnas overshot the targets set in its working plan and corporate budget, posting an income of Rp 1.3 trillion and profits of Rp 135 billion by building 14,250 housing units.