Mataram to renovate Uninhabitable houses

Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, Nov 21 (Antara) - The Government of Mataram City in West Nusa Tenggara in 2019 will, receive a special allocation fund of Rp15 billion for the renovation of uninhabitable houses in the city.

The total funds of Rp15 billion will be spent on the renovation of around 1,000 units of uninhabitable houses of the local community, head of Mataram City Housing and Settlement Agency (Perkim) HM Kemal Islam remarked here on Wednesday.

"Renovation of one unit of house in previous years required Rp17 million but this year and the next year the amount of funds is reduced to Rp15 million per unit," Kemal said.

To expedite the process of the renovation activities, he said he would immediately conduct data validation of the target candidates who would get assistance in the renovation of the uninhabitable houses.

Kemal said that after the renovation program of 1,000 units is completed in 2019, it does not mean that Mataram city will be free from the existence of uninhabitable houses.

After the renovation, there are still 3,000 other uninhabitable houses in the city that need to be renovated, Kemal said.

"We have not dared to call Mataram free from uninhabitable houses, because the growth of the poor is still happening," he said, adding that the growth of the poor was triggered by the existence of young marriages.

In addition to getting an allocation of Rp15 billion for the restoration program, the Government of Mataram City also prepared assistance funds in 2019 amounting to Rp600 million.