BAPPENAS PREDICTS 1.8 MILLION NEW JOB SEEKERS IN 2011

Jakarta, April 29 (ANTARA) - The National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) predicts 1.8 million people will enter the labor market in 2011.

"In order to absorb them, investment, especially in the real sector, must grow," National Development Planning Minister / Bappenas Chief Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana said here on Thursday.

She said with open unemployment targeted to drop to 7.3 percent in 2011 business investment especially in the real sector needs to be boosted.

She said economic growth which is predicted to reach 6.3 percent is expected to open more jobs that would absorb them.

Development of manufacturing industry as well as micro-,small and medium businesses would be very strategic with regard to boosting the real sector.

In the framework of setting supportive conditions for investment, she said, synergy between the central and regional governments would be needed.

In 2011, the economy was predicted to be better than in 2010 in line with global economic recovery. However the real sector still needs to be boosted, she said.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani earlier said in 2011 investment was expected to rise 11 percent from eight percent this year.

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