Cash Labor-Intensive Program to Increase People’s Purchasing Power

President Jokowi inspects labor intensive program in West Seram Regency, Maluku, on Wednesday (14/2)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo asserted that cash labor-intensive program promoted by the Government would increase people’s purchasing power by involving the local residents.

“We want cash labor-intensive program can distribute budget directly to villages so that people`s consumption or purchasing power could increase,” President Jokowi said when inspecting the construction of irrigation and paddy field production road in Waimital Village, Kairatu Sub-district, West Seram Regency, on Wednesday (14/2).

Through this way, the Government expects the restoration of production road connecting paddy fields and irrigation to be conducted, “Thus, it will bring many benefits from cash labor-intensive program,” the President added.

On that occasion, President Jokowi accompanied by Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono and Governor of Maluku Said Assagaff inspected the construction of a 1,095-meter-long production road that will be constructed in three months and cost the state Rp600 million.

The construction of a 3.6-km-long irrigation at a cost of Rp1.35 billion is also conducted and will be completed in 50 days.

Previously, President Jokowi has inspected the construction of roads, drainage facility, and installation of street lights in Oihu Hamlet, Batu Merah Village, Sirimau Sub-district that are also funded by labor intensive program and involved 160 local residents.

Meanwhile, Ministry of Villages, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration has also conducted river normalization program in the village that involved 150 local residents.

President Jokowi said that labor intensive program will be carried on in order to create more jobs in the village and to increase the circulation of money.

“Not only Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing that will implement the program, but also other ministries, including Ministry of Transportation that will implement some projects under cash labor-intensive program, as well as the Ministry of State-owned Enterprises,” the President concluded. (BPMI Setpres/ES) (RAS/YM/Naster)