Government Allocates Rp 6 Trillion for Papua Infrastructure Development

JAYAPURA CITY - The government has allocated a total of Rp 6 trillion (US$460 million) this year for infrastructure development in Papua, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said during an official visit to the province on Saturday.

Jokowi said that of the funds, Rp 4.7 trillion would be for the construction of roads and bridges, Rp 600 billion for irrigation, Rp 400 billion for sanitation and drinking water and Rp 300 billion for housing.

“I hope that the acceleration of development will boost Papua’s economic growth,” he said on the sidelines of the inauguration of the Halltekamp Bridge project, which will link Jayapura to other areas.

The President has targeted to build a 3,985-kilometer trans-Papua road, set to be finished in 2019, Antara news agency reported. [Antara]