Govt To Improve Economic Condition In 50 Backward Districts

Lebak, Banten, Sept 7 (ANTARA) - The Association of Economically Backward Regencies (ASKATI) said that Rp100 billion are needed to accelerate development of each backward districts in the country. The fund is needed to boost economic and other sector development in the districts to allow them to catch up with other areas, association chairman Mulyadi Jayabaya said here on Friday. The state minister for development of backward areas has pledged to improve the welfare of 50 of 183 backward regencies in the country to bring them level with other areas in five years. ASKATI chairman Mulyadi Jayabaya said each of the 50 district would need at least 100 billion to reach the target in 2014. Mulyadi said the deadline for the five year program is only two years away in 2014 but not much headway has been made. He said many of the 50 districts are richer in natural resources than other more developed regions but the potentials are yet untapped. Development of the remaining 133 backward districts will likely be carried out by the next government as President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will end his term of office in 2014. "We will continue the campaigns for priority to be given to backward districts in economic development to eliminate poverty in the country," Mulyadi, regent of Lebak, said. District areas are categorized as backward because of poor condition of infrastructure including roads and electricity, educational facility, healthcare, drinking water supply and public services. Around 57.7 million of the country`s population of 240 million live in 43,200 villages in the 183 backward regencies, Mulyiadi said. Most of the backward regencies are in Sumatra and eastern part of the country. In Java there are 8 backward regencies including Lebak and Pandeglang in Banten.