Transportation Minister To Inspect Labor-Intensive Project in Bekasi

Jakarta, (Antaranews Sumbar)- Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi is scheduled to visit labor-intensive double track railway project in Bekasi, West Java, Sunday. The visit was to check and make sure that the project was being carried out properly and on track, Baitul Ihwan, spokesman of the transportation ministry, said in a press statement. The transportation ministry has allocated Rp15.123 trillion in funds, including Rp1.274 trillion for workers' salaries in various labor-intensive projects during 2018. The projects are expected to provide jobs to 70,858 people in 831 villages located in 739 districts/municipalities across Indonesia. Meanwhile, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has expressed his optimism that the cash labor-intensive program would increase the purchasing power of people in rural areas. "We want to directly distribute budget to villages through this cash labor-intensive program. Thus, the people's consumption or purchasing power could increase," the president said after inspecting the construction of an irrigation canal and paddy field production road in Waimital Village of West Seram District, Maluku, on Feb 14. The president remarked that under this program, the government will restore production roads between paddy fields and develop the irrigation system. "We can derive several advantages from the cash labor-intensive program," President Jokowi noted. (*) Editor: Vicha Faradika