TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Government to spend Rp 404t on infrastructure projects in 2018
Change Size
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo delivers his state of the nation address before members of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) on Aug. 16. (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)
N
ext year, the government plans to allocate Rp 404 trillion (US$30.23 billion) for infrastructure development, according to the draft state budget announced by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Thursday. This year, the government projects to spend Rp 387.70 trillion.
The President explained that 856 kilometers of new roads and 781 kilometers of irrigation channels would be constructed.
“Infrastructure development is expected to boost economic growth and improve connectivity among the regions,” Jokowi said when reading out a financial note during a House of Representatives plenary session.
Read also: Jokowi inspects progress of trans-Papua road projectThe government will also develop sanitation infrastructure to manage waste water produced by 853,000 households, construct water treatment plants and develop 7,062 low-cost apartments for low-income families, Jokowi added.
Meanwhile, Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said 41.30 percent of the total budget would be spent on road construction and for the maintenance of 46,000 existing roads across the country.
The government has allocated Rp 37 trillion for constructing and repairing irrigation infrastructure -- including 11 new dams, 54,000 hectares of irrigation networks and repairing 160,000 hectares of existing irrigation networks.
For waste water treatment and clean water infrastructure, the government has allocated Rp 16 trillion, the minister added.
“Tenders for the government projects in 2018 will be opened in October this year,” he said, adding that in addition to the projects funded by the state budget, the government would also invite the private sector to develop infrastructure through private-public partnerships (PPPs). (bbn)
