C SULAWESI STILL FAVORITE DESTINATION FOR TRANSMIGRANTS

Palu, Mar 6 (ANTARA) - Central Sulawesi is now still the most favorite location for transmigrants both from Java and Bali, and even for local transmigrants.

"This year we will receive 1,150 new transmigrant families, half of them will come from Java and Bali," Head of the Central Sulawesi Manpower and Transmigration Agency H David Halim said here on Saturday.

In 2009, the ministry of manpower and transmigration has paid the cost of the placement of 1,200 families, making Central Sulawesi a province which has received the highest number of new transmigrants in the last couple of years, Halim said in the company of Head for the Division of Transmigrant Placement Agus Salim.

He said that most of the families placed in 2010, were self-supporting integrated urban transmigrants (KTM) sent to five locations, namely the regencies of Parigi-Moutong, Poso, Buol, Tojo Una-una and Morowali.

The KTM in Bahari Tomini Raya Parigi-Moutong for instance will receive 150 families, the KTM of Air Terang Buol plantation 320 families, the KTM in Tampolore, Poso regency 100 families, the KTM in Padauloyo Tojo Una-una 150 families, and the KTM in Tawaru Morowali plantation will not receive any transmigrant families this year because last year it has already received 400 families.

In the meantime, the manpower and transmigration ministry will place a number of dry land food general transmigrants in several locations like the Transmigration Settlement Unit (UPT) of Tinauka in Donggala regency, UPT Lampasio (Tolitoli) and UPT Pandiri (Poso) each will receive 100 families and settlement improvement transmigrants (Garkim) in Buol.

"Besides an area which has received the biggest number of new transmigrants in Indonesia, Central Sulawesi is also an area which developed the biggest number of KTM," Agus Salim said.

Halim also said that transmigrants made a very big contribution to the development of C Sulawesi where many UPT had been developing rapidly into food centers and barns of other plantation produce and developed into new economic centers like Kota Tolay and Sausu in Parigi Moutong regency.

At present, C Sulawesi which has a population of about two million, has received 80,476 transmigrant families comprising about 325,000 persons, 2,070 of whom are still being under the guidance of the Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration.

They get housing facilities, farming tools and land for the development of business like dry land for second crops, plantations and rice fields and living cost for one year.