10 Slum Villages in Banjarmasin to be Rehabilitated

By Hasan Zainuddin

Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan (Antaranews) - 10 villages based on research categorised the slums in the city of Banjarmasin were slated to be rehabilitated to reduce the untidiness.

The rehabilitation effort through the National Program funds for Community Empowerment (PNPM) Mandiri, said the Head of the Banjarmasin Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda), Ir Fajar Desira here on Thursday.

According to Fajar Desira on the sidelines of a meeting to discuss the issue in Banjarmasin City Hall, the slum rehabilitation through Community Self-reliance Agency ( BKM ) in each of the villages in the Setup program Community -Based Environmental Settlements ( PLPBK ) which integrated with PNPM Urban.

The problem is, the requirements to enter the program is the region's poverty rate reached 20 percent, while the poverty rate in Banjarmasin only five percent.

But other alternative  where there is an urban slum area of up to three acres then it could be given assistance by the central government funds rehabilitation.

After the research of 51 villages in Banjarmasin, there are 10 villages found each has slums of up to three acres, so it may obtain such funding.

The work to be carried out through the program is the improvement of infrastructure, water supply, improvement of waste, green open spaces, houses renovation, drainage improvements, and other environmental improvements.

To that end there will be a team from the field. The team is composed of various elements, from the Ministry of Public Works, as well as from the Government of South Kalimantan and Banjarmasin City Government.