VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Ministry has allocated a budget of Rp13.76 trillion (US$945.7 million) for the cash labor-intensive program in 2023, PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono announced here on Thursday.

In a working meeting with Commission V of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), he stated that the figure was almost the same as in 2022 – which reached Rp13.64 trillion (US$937.49 million) and absorbed about 665 thousand workers.

"We maintain it (the almost same allocation figure), despite our indicative Budget Implementation List (DIPA) of Rp98 trillion (US$6.7 billion)," he noted.

Meanwhile, according to the ministry’s site, their total budget for Fiscal Year 2022 was Rp100.59 trillion (US$6.9 billion).

In detail, the allocation of cash labor-intensive program on the water resources facility development is Rp4.7 trillion (US$323.03 million), with an estimated work force of 328 thousand people.

Meanwhile, the budget for road and bridge construction is Rp4.5 trillion (US$302.29 million). The projects are predicted to absorb 54 thousand workers.

Some Rp2.11 trillion (US$145.02 million) was allocated to the settlement sector, with a workforce of 62 thousand people.

Furthermore, Rp 2.45 trillion (US$168.39 million) was prepared for housing development, with an estimated workforce absorption of 206 thousand people.

The ministry’s labor-intensive program is carried out by developing public infrastructure and involving local residents to build small-scale infrastructure or conduct simple tasks which do not require any advanced technology applications, such as developing sanitation facilities and infrastructure for Islamic boarding schools or Employment Training Centers (LPK).

In addition to creating a safe, comfortable, clean and healthy learning environment, the sanitation program aims to maintain people's purchasing power in the midst of unstable economic conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, thus the PUPR Ministry’s program can also bolster the national economic recovery program (PEN). (Antaranews)