Impacts of coal railroad transportation project on GDP promotion and unemployment reduction in bengkulu province, Indonesia

Abstract

Massive, advanced and integrated railroad system for coal transportation (referred to hereafter as ?Project?) from Muara Enim, Sumatra Selatan Province to the new coal port at Pulau Baai, Bengkulu Province, Indonesia is developed by a private investor together with the local government (PEMDA) of Bengkulu Province to make the best use of abundant coal resources in the region. This paper analyzes the impact of this Project on the Bengkulu economy, which is currently considered low. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is adopted as the economic indicator. The study combines the theories of export base and economic base, economic and regional developments, cost-benefit analysis and economic impact study with the empirical data. The results show the Project?s financial feasibility with Cost-Benefit Ratio of 1.61, Internal Rate of Return of 21.1% and Payback Period of 5 years, which will provide a significant contribution to the Bengkulu GDP growth and a decrease of 821,600 people among the unemployed.