The government has provided a stimulus fund of Rp30 million for each of the families to build a 6x6 meter permanent house. If they wish to build a bigger house they of course have to pay for the additional cost.
Sleman, Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - Vice President Boediono visited Yogyakarta in Central Java on Thursday to inspect conditions of villages hit by Mount Merapi eruption last year there.

More than two thousand families are now still living in shelters.

Boediono was accompanied by education minister Muhammad Nuh, public works minister Djoko Kirmanto, forestry minister Zulkifli Hasan and Yogyakarta governor Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono in the visit.

Sleman district head Sri Purnomo reported that the government aid program had been carried out including compensation for cattle killed in the eruption.

"Ninety percent of the Rp23 billion that the central government has extended has been distributed to compensate for the dead cattle. The other ten percent has not yet been disbursed as recipients are still living in shelters and therefore are not yet able to tend cattle," he said.

He said several temporary bridges have also been built but more aid is still needed to repair roads that had been damaged by floods of volcanic materials.

Forestry minister Zulkifli Hasan said the Merapi slope areas would be developed into protected forest areas.

"Although people will not live there anymore they may still be allowed to exploit land there," he said.

Boediono meanwhile asked the government of Yogyakarta to prepare themselves for the implementation of rehabilitation and reconstruction programs.

He said the Presidential Instruction had been ready and would soon be submitted to the Yogyakarta government.

He said they should not worry about the funding as it had all been calculated. It would be sufficient for relocating 2,862 families now living in shelters, he said.

He said a permanent house would be built in the locations which are considered safer for each of the families.

"The government has provided a stimulus fund of Rp30 million for each of the families to build a 6x6 meter permanent house. If they wish to build a bigger house they of course have to pay for the additional cost," he said.

The head of the local public works office, Rani Sjamsinarsy, said the government had already prepared a site plan for the housing project.

"The project will be carried out soon after the Inpres (Presidential Instruction) is issued. We are still waiting for it," she said.

Commenting on the shelter in Kuwang, Argomulyo, Cangkringan, Sleman, Boediono said that the location was fit to be developd into a permanent residential location.

Boediono on the occasion also called for attention to the education and health of children in shelters.

(H-YH/A/O001) (ANTARA)

Editor: Ella Syafputri
Copyright © ANTARA 2011