AHY Highlights Infrastructure Inequality To Clean Water Access In NTT Transmigration Area

Coordinating Minister for Regional Infrastructure and Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono. (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The development of infrastructure to access to clean water is still a major challenge for development in transmigration areas, especially in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

For this reason, the government will pay special attention to the issue.

Infrastructure issues in NTT received attention from the Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development (IPK) Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) during a working visit to the Ponu Transmigration Area, North Central Timor Regency (TTU), NTT, Thursday, November 13.

On that occasion, he had a direct dialogue with the public and received a research report from the Patriot Expedition team, who for three months conducted research in various transmigration areas in NTT.

The results of this research show that infrastructure is still a major challenge for development in the transmigration area.

Coordinating Minister AHY highlighted the condition of a number of roads and limited access to clean water as obstacles that needed to be addressed immediately.

"Among all the factors that have been a challenge so far is infrastructure. It is certain that infrastructure. There are still quite a lot of roads that need improvement, including the need for clean water," AHY said in a written statement, quoted Friday, November 14.

According to him, the availability of water infrastructure such as dams and irrigation is needed to increase agricultural productivity and community livestock.

"We hope that our agriculture can be even better. Therefore, dams and irrigation are needed to irrigate rice fields and provide clean water supplies for all," he said.

The chairman of the Democratic Party ensured that all public input and field findings would be taken to the ministry level to be followed up collaboratively.

He also emphasized the importance of infrastructure as a determining factor for the economic progress of transmigrant communities.

"If access is getting better, all existing potentials can be optimized and the results will be enjoyed by the community again," he said.

Pada kesempatan itu, AHY juga menyerahkan Sertifikat Hak Milik (SHM) kepada warga transmigran yang telah menetap di kawasan tersebut selama lebih dari dua dekade.

Menurut AHY, pemberian SHM itu merupakan bentuk kepastian hukum atas lahan masyarakat sekaligus menjadi penopang peningkatan nilai ekonomi bagi warga transmigran.

"Tadi kami juga menyerahkan sertifikat hak milik bagi masyarakat di kawasan transmigrasi. Yang menarik adalah ternyata sejak tahun 2.000 masyarakat sudah tinggal di sini, tetapi baru sekarang bisa mendapatkan sertifikat hak milik. Artinya, menunggu selama 25 tahun," tuturnya.

On that occasion, AHY also handed over the Ownership Certificate (SHM) to transmigrants who had lived in the area for more than two decades.

According to AHY, the provision of SHM is a form of legal certainty over community land as well as a support for increasing economic value for transmigrants.

"Earlier, we also handed over certificates of property for people in transmigration areas. What is interesting is that since 2,000 people have lived here, but only now can they get ownership certificates. This means waiting for 25 years," he said.