Govt to require use of local steel for bridge projects
Wednesday, September 16 2015 - 04:50 AM WIB
The government plans to issue a regulation on new standards and material specifications for the construction of bridge projects funded by the state budget, Kontan reported Wednesday.
The paper quoted Vice President Jusuf Kalla as saying that under the planned new regulation, construction of state-funded bridge projects must use local steel products in a bid to support the domestic steel industry.
Minister of Public Works and People?s Housing Basuki Hadimuljono said that the requirement to use local steel products is expected to start next year.
He acknowledged that steel projects have been using mostly imported steel products. He cited as an example that of the 1.8 million tons of steel requirement for 60 bridge projects this year, about 60 percent are imported. (*)