Inco distributes Rp 4.5 billion for local people

PT International Nickel Indonesia (Inco) Tbk will channel a total of Rp 4.5 billion this year to empower the economy of people living around its mining areas in Soroako, South Sulawesi, according to Mirwan BZ Vauli, Inco's government relations and community affairs official.

Mirwan said on Thursday that the funds were given in various forms, including as revolving funds for small and medium enterprises, as free medical services for local people, incentives for teachers in remote areas, electricity subsidy, scholarship high school students until for doctorate candidates, and various assistance in the areas of education, research and training.

Incentives for teachers in remote areas, for instance, could reach Rp 250 million a year. Inco supplies five megawatts of electricity to state electricity company PT PLN that will distribute the electricity to people in Inco's surrounding areas and to a number of other areas, including Palopo, the capital city of Luwu district. In addition, Inco subsidizes up to 250 kilowatt per hour per month per house in Soroako.

Inco also builds a number of infrastructure facilities such as roads, drainage system, school building, district health centers, markets and transportation terminals. Inco also provides free of charge transportation services from Soroako terminal to a number of nearby villages.

The company has also contributed to the protection of the environment, by its replanting program in a number of areas surrounding the company's operations. (*)