President Jokowi Inspects Cash Labor-Intensive Program in South Sulawesi
President Jokowi talks with cash labor-intensive workers in Mappadaelo Village, Tanasitolo Sub-district, Wajo Regency, on Tuesday (3/7) morning. (Photo by: Presidential Secretariat)
On the second day of his working visit to South Sulawesi Province, President Joko Jokowi Widodo on Tuesday (3/7) inspected the construction of a 300-meter irrigation channel located in Mappadaelo Village, Tanasitolo Sub-district, Wajo Regency.
The irrigation system – which uses a budget of Rp225 million from the cashlabor intensive program of Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing – is aimed at improving water use efficiency for irrigation.
“This is part of the Governments program to improve water use efficiency so we expect that in 2018 there will be approximately 5,000 irrigation systems in 2,881 villages,” the President said.
The irrigation channel transports water into irrigation areas of Bila Dam in Sidrap Regency and ??Kalola Dam in Wajo Regency covering area of ??6,517 hectares and ??3,230 hectares respectively. It is also expected to channel water from the surrounding dams to help irrigate the community’s rice fields. According to the President, rice fields around the area are expansive and productive.
“I notice the paddy rice production is very good. The paddy fields are also very expansive,” the President said.
Next year, the Government will also build a dike on Lake Tempe, located in the western part of Wajo Regency. The dike is expected to irrigate the communitys rice fields covering an area of approximately 18,000 hectares.
“Next year, we will build a dike on Lake Tempe to irrigate approximately 18,000 hectares. We hope the harvest volume could be higher from that of the previous periods. We aim to make the water very productive,” the President said.
For the record, the cash labor-intensive program in Wajo District which takes 60 days – provides jobs for 60 locals, in which construction workers receive Rp80 thousand per day, while handymen receive Rp120 thousand per day.
Joining the President during the visit were Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno and Acting South Sulawesi Governor Sumarsono. (Bureau of Press, Media & Information of Presidential Secretariat/ES) (MUR/EP/YM/Naster).
