24/03/2011 (The Jakarta Post) - The central government is set to speed up the revitalization of Aceh plantations by advancing the deadline for the planting of oil palm and rubber trees across 41,200 hectares of land in the province.

The revitalization program, scheduled to kick off this year, was earlier set for completion by 2016. The State-Owned Enterprises Ministry, however, has recently advanced the deadline to 2014.

“The plantation revitalization program, which uses land belonging to the locals, will be realized in 12 regencies across Aceh,” State-Owned Enterprises Minister Mustafa Abubakar said Wednesday in Banda Aceh as quoted by Antara.

He added that the program would commence in Teupin Reusep village in Sawang district, Aceh regency, North Aceh, and that about 28,000 hectares of land would be allocated to oil palm plantations and the remaining 13,000 to rubber plantations.

Mustafa said up to Rp 2.4 trillion (US$276 million) had been allocated to support the implementation of the program aimed at creating new jobs in Aceh and improving people's welfare.