He identified these districts as East Sumba, Southwest Sumba, and West Sumba, noting that their poverty rates remain high, ranging from 26 to 28 percent.
Speaking in Southwest Sumba on Saturday (July 19), the minister emphasized that taking strategic measures to foster inclusive and sustainable economic growth through investment is key to addressing poverty in these regions.
He said that his ministry would recruit researchers from Indonesia’s top universities to gain a clear understanding of the regions’ true economic potential — a step he believes is crucial for attracting investment.
Elaborating further, he stated that the government expects the researchers’ work to lead not only to capital inflows but also to the creation of job opportunities for local residents, especially young people, to stimulate economic growth.
In this context, he highlighted opportunities for Southwest Sumba and West Sumba to fully tap into their tourism potential. He expressed confidence that investment-driven tourism projects would help empower local youth.
Furthermore, he underlined the need to ensure that economic growth does not come at the expense of environmental sustainability. Hence, he noted that the 40 researchers are also expected to find solutions for developing and utilizing renewable energy sources.
He added that his office also intends to consult with the Ministry of Finance to discuss providing incentives to support transmigration initiatives in the three districts.
“The government might offer incentives such as tax breaks and other financial benefits. I will discuss this matter with the Finance Minister (Sri Mulyani Indrawati),” Suryanagara said.
In general, the Transmigration Ministry plans to send a total of 185 researchers in 37 teams to map the economic potential of regions across NTT Province.
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Translator: Maria C, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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