Jakarta (ANTARA) - The government program for home improvement and re-construction or called the Self-help Housing Stimulant Assistance (BSPS) has absorbed 236,689 workers as of September 2020, the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry recorded.

"This is a form of government's concern for low income people to have livable houses, and at the same time employ them as the workers in the house renovation," the Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono said in a statement here on Sunday.

The minister expressed hope for the program to improve people's quality of life to live in a healthy and comfortable house suitable for living.

The program was run under the cash for work scheme, to reduce unemployment and improve people's purchasing power.

The program was run in 449 districts/cities for house improvement and 151 district/cities for new house construction, with total budget of Rp4.68 trillion.

As of September realization of the BSPS program has reached 80.76 percent worth Rp3.77 trillion.

Previously, the ministry has expanded the coverage for the cash for work (PKT) program in 34 provinces with budget allocation at Rp1.2 trillion to support the national economic recovery.

The program has involved local residents in infrastructure development, especially small-scale infrastructure that did not require the use of high technology.

According to data of the ministry's Directorate General of Housing, a total of Rp11.3 trillion was allocated for the cash labor-intensive program.

Of the total budget, the Directorate General of Housing has allotted Rp4.7 trillion for the purposes of improvement and reconstruction of 220 thousand houses across the country.

The program is projected to absorb 244,170 workers.
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Translator: Aji Cakti, Sri Haryati
Editor: Suharto
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