JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – The Jakarta Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD) has finally Wednesday (Jan 22) passed the city’s 2014 draft budget (RAPBD) proposed by the city administration.

The city’s 2014 draft budget should have been passed on Nov. 30, 2013 as schedule.

Jakarta Governor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, welcomed the DPRD’s decision on the budget and revealed the city administration can fully resolve the flood and traffic congestion in the city on the help of the budget.

Jokowi’s administration allocates Rp35 trillion or 48.6 percent from the total budget of Rp72 trillion for direct expenditures, mostly used for public works and programs in transportation sectors.

Jokowi and his Vice Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama earlier stated that they increase budget for direct spending by three time as they will focus on flood mitigation and dreadlocks.

For direct expenditures amounting Rp35 trillion, the city has allocated as follow;

1) Rp1.66 trillion for land acquisition in Cengkareng Drain II, Pesanggrahan river, Angke river, and Sunter river
2) Rp179.20 billion for the construction and the improvement of embankment
3) Rp140.36 billion for the dredging of rivers, canals, water connections, reservoirs
4) Rp119.96 billion for the construction of polder system and new water pumps
5) Rp150 billion for the construction of new embankment near the sea
6) Rp600.5 billion for the implementation of the Jakarta Emergency Dredging Initiative (JEDI), a program of normalization for 13 rivers within the city
7) Rp121.5 billion for the construction of absorption wells and biopores
8) Rp100 billion for the improvement of river water quality
9) Rp148.02 billion for the construction of rusunawa (a low-cost rental apartments) for residents relocated from the riverbanks
10) Rp1.19 trillion to develop kampong deret (improved small-housings) along the river in order to provide proper housing and as well to reappropriate the riverbanks
11) Rp1.13 trillion for the acquisition of land and the development of Ria Rio reservoir
12) Rp791.68 billion for the acquisition of land for open green spaces (RTH) and the city parks.

The city also allocates;

1) Rp521 billion for the acquisition of land to develop the corridor of the Mass Rapid Transportation (MRT)
2) Rp3 trillion for the procurement of new Transjakarta buses
3) Rp1.64 billion for the procurement and the revitalization of minibuses and other public transportations. (haryantos@yosefardi.biz)