Next Government Expected To Continue PNPM Project

Jambi, Feb 19 (Antara) - Jambi Governor Hasan Basri Agus has expressed his hope that the next government will continue the National Program for Community p (PNPM) project because it is very important for poverty alleviation in rural areas. "The PNPM project has been able to significantly alleviate poverty, and therefore the next government is expected to continue the program," Governor Hasan Basri stated here on Tuesday. He made the remark at a function to sign several agreements, including the one on PNPM for rural area projects for Jambi province from the 2014 state budget. On the occasion, the governor noted that the PNPM was very important in poverty alleviation, improving people`s welfare and generating jobs, and encouraging independence in decision-making and development management. Hasan added that poverty alleviation has become the priority program for national development, particularly in the province of Jambi. "The central government has set a target to have Jambi province lower its poverty rate from 7.9 percent in 2011 to five percent in 2015, but without the central government`s assistance, it is not going to be an easy task for us," the governor noted. According to him, PNPM has been successfully implemented in Jambi with very significant results since 2004. He explained that through the PNPM, the Jambi provincial administration has been able to initiate a so-called "One Billion One Sub-district" program of local poverty alleviation.