President Commissions Six Infrastructure Projects In Papua, W Papua Barat

Surakarta, C Java (Antara Bali) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) left here on Monday for a working visit to Papua and West Papua to commission  electricity infrastructure projects in the country's eastern most regions.

The Presidential aircraft took off from the  Adi Sumarmo airport here at 07.30 a.m. local time.

The president would commission six electricity  projects including a 2x20 megawatt hydroelectric power of Orya Genyem,   2x1.25 MW Hydroelectric power of Prafi, 175 kilometer long circuit 70-kilowatts  high voltage air transmission cable of Genyem, Waena, Jayapura, 43.5 kilometer circuit 70 kilo volt high voltage air transmission cable of Holtekamp - Jayapura, 20 mega volt ampere electric  relay station of Waena, Sentani  and 20 mega volt ampere electric relay station of Jayapura.

The operation of the power infrastructure projects  in Papua and West Papua  would reduce problem in power supply in the two provinces.

The two provinces have been beset by shortage in power supply, partly on delay in the implementation of many power projects.

The government of President Joko Widodo has gradually coped with the problem  especially in the regions by building new power generating plants.

The government even hopes to build new power plants with a total capacity of 35,000 megawatts in the country until 2019.

Many, however, said the program is too ambitious . The previous government has failed to  meet targets in the implementation of two fast tract programs in electricity sector each with a total capacity of 10,000 MW.

Before commissioning the six power infrastructure projects, the president and the First Lady Iriana Joko Widodo are to visit an elementary school in the regency of Jayapura in a ceremony of distribution of additional food (PMT).

The President is to give additional food for pregnant women,  children below 5 years in age  and school children.

In a number of his previous visits to the country's regions, PMT has been part in the presidential agenda showing his concern with the quality of food for children .

Good nutrition is important to turn out high quality human resources , the president has said.

"We will do it this week and weeks to come as it is important as an investment for the future of the children," he was quoted as saying in Banten last month.

"We don't want pregnant women and young children to suffer poor nutrition. We will continue to drum up efforts to improve the nutrition of our children  especially school children," he said.

The presidential entourage in the visit to Papua and West Papua include chief of the presidential staff Teten Masduki, head of the presidential secretariat Darmansjah Djumala, Presidential Military Secretary Air Force Maj.Gen. Hadi Tjahjanto, Chief of the Presidential Security Troop Marine Maj.Gen Bambang Suswantono, Special Presidential Staff Diaz Hendropriyono  and head of the protocol Bureau of the Presidential secretariat  Ari Setiawan. (WDY)