Gov’t to Improve Food Estate Area Connectivity in C. Kalimantan
Photo by: pu.go.id
In a bid to strengthen national food security, Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) has announced that it is currently developing two food estate areas in Central Kalimantan Province and North Sumatra Province.
“We have prepared two food estate areas in Central Kalimantan Province and North Sumatra Province. In Central Kalimantan will be in Kapuas Regency and Pulang Pisau Regency, and in North Sumatra will be in Humbang Hasundutan Regency,” President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said in his remarks at a limited cabinet meeting.
According to Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono, the Ministry fully supports the program through infrastructure development around the food estate area, including connectivity improvement to the location of food estate projects and irrigation network system in Central Kalimantan.
The Minister went on to say that interregional connectivity is needed to achieve more efficient mobility of goods, services, and people. Smoother connectivity is expected to increase regional economic growth.
“The construction of roads and bridgeswill facilitate connectivity and accessibility, and provide alternatives for communities to boost economic productivity,” the Minister said.
The connectivity improvement will cover the 76.8 kilometers of roads and bridges connecting Dadahup Irrigation Area, Kapuas Regency, Belanti Irrigation Area, and Pulang Pisau Regency with a total budget of Rp 792.37 billion. The auction for the construction is still ongoing
The increased connectivity includes improving the quality of roads and bridges to the Dadahup Irrigation Area, Kapuas District and DI Belanti, Pulang Pisau Regency with a total length of 76.8 km. The work is estimated to require a budget of IDR 792.37 billion. Currently, the progress is still in the auction stage. The construction contract is expected to be signed in mid of November this year.
Out of 34.68 kilometers, the construction will be divided into three work schemes and 60 meters bridge improvement to Dadahup Irrigation Area with a budget of Rp 336.96 billion.
In the meantime, 41.85 kilometers of construction will be divided into five work schemes and 170 meters Belanti Irrigation Area with a budget of Rp 455.41 billion.
The Ministry will also establish a 10-kilometer main road in a priority area of 2,000 hectares and a 25 kilometers secondary road for food estate area expansion with a budget of Rp 336.91 billion. (PR of PUPR Ministry / UN)
Translated by: Syarifah Aisyah
Reviewed by: Lulu Wuliarti
