Banpu told to provide Rp 4 billion funds for community development program

The local government of Kutai Timur, one of regencies in East Kalimantan, has asked coal mining company PT Banpu Indomindo to allocate at least Rp 4 billion a year to finance its community development program in the regency, Kaltim Post reported on Tuesday.

Kutai Timur's regent Mahyuddin said that the request for the Rp 4 billion community development funds were made during a recent meeting with the management of the Thailand company.

He said the proposed funds should be only used to finance community development projects in Kutai Timur. "If the company is involved in community development projects outside the regency, it should raise the amount," he said.

Earlier, the company said that it would provide community development funds worth between Rp 4 billion and Rp 5 billion if the company could meet the target to produce six million of coal a year. (*)