Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing meets region, district and township level departmental personnel of Ayeyawady Region

Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing meets region, district and township level departmental personnel of Ayeyawady Region

NAY PYI TAW July 4

Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing met region, district and township level departmental personnel of Ayeyawady Region at Ayeya Shwewa Hall in Pathein this afternoon.

Also present at the meeting were members of the Senior General’s entourage, Ayeyawady Region Chief Minister U Tin Maung Win, South-West Command Commander Maj-Gen Aung Aung, and war veterans.

Regional points and development undertakings The chief minister and officials reported on progress in realizing the directives of the Senior General during 2021 visit, points of the region, extension of districts and staff appointment, agriculture and livestock, irrigation and electrification, river water pumping project, efforts to increase monsoon paddy yield, oil crops cultivation and edible oil sufficiency, production and distribution of meat, fish and eggs for the public, provision of watercourses and lakes with fingerlings, production of sun-dried salt and iodized salt, environmental conservation, power sector development and electricity distribution, development of roads and bridges, public rental housing projects, extension of people’s hospital, reopening of basic education schools and institutions of higher learning, matriculation exam entrance rate and pass rate, opening of hospitals and appointment of health employees, COVID-19 vaccination, progress in implementing Pankin project, annual arrival of local and foreign tourists into the region, and social, economic and health matters.

Guidance for work facilitation In response, the Senior General said Ayeyawady Region receives a lot of rain and it has many natural watercourses. Improper flow of water may cause road destruction, so systematic maintenance programs are required to prevent roads from erosion. As coaches carrying businessmen as well as tourists are arriving in the region in large numbers, road improvement has become a priority case.

Motorcycle routes must be marked for road safety. Yangon-Pathein highway upgrading project must meet the ASEAN standard. In addition, Pathein airport will be upgraded. Local and foreign tourists are coming to the region. An enjoyable ambience attracts more visitors.

Local salt should meet the health requirements and domestic demand. Uninterrupted running of the salt industry must be ensured.

Regional development undertakings As regards the regional development, the Senior General said the region is a rice bowl of Myanmar. It is also an honourable region which takes the top level in many business areas.

SAC has temporarily taken over State duties because vote rigging occurred during 2020 elections. Utmost restraint is exercised in dealing with terrorism, which appeared due to political exploitations, in accord with the law. The government continues to work in accord with the law as it always adheres to the 2008 Constitution.

Every race and country is moving forward. They will not look back nor stop. So, Myanmar must also continue to move forward as it should not be left behind.

Efforts are being made to solve the political situation and to achieve development of the country. Every country and people always try to achieve development consistently. If efforts are halted due to crises, development cannot be achieved and the country will lag behind others. As it is impossible to halt education and economic sectors, schools were reopened in 2021 and emphasis has been placed on promotion of education.

It is learnt that the literacy rate of the country stands at 92 percent. However, most of the literate people can only read and write and received primary education. According to population censuses, there are only a few educated people. As successive governments have taken measures to promote the government education system, the government is implementing plans to promote education.

The country will lag behind others if there are only a few educated people.

Development of agriculture and livestock breeding It is necessary to carry out manufacturing activities based on agriculture and livestock breeding for economic development.

Natural resources have depleted due to exploitation of forest resources and raw materials have become scarce.

Therefore, it is impossible to place emphasis on manufacturing based on natural resources and it is necessary to carry out manufacturing activities based on agriculture and livestock breeding by utilizing technologies already learnt. To improve administrative tasks and to carry out development tasks more conveniently, new districts were formed and administrative tasks will be carried out more effectively based on the district level.

As it is necessary to open agriculture and livestock breeding and engineering training schools to carry out agriculture and livestock breeding tasks and industrial activities successfully, measures are being taken to open agriculture and livestock breeding institutes at the district level. Only then, human resources for agriculture and livestock breeding can be developed and outstanding trainees from the institutes will be allowed to study higher education. If there are large numbers of experts in agriculture and livestock breeding, the sectors of the country will achieve development. Emphasis should be placed not on expansion of acreage but on boosting per-acre yields on land resources.

If mix- and multi- crops can be grown, yields can be boosted.

If agricultural products can be improved, regional economic development can be enjoyed.

Therefore, it is necessary to cultivate oil crops including sun flower as multiple crops.

The government is taking measures to provide quality varieties for agriculture as the private sector has not done so.

Therefore, the private sector is required to exert efforts to produce quality varieties. As Ayeyawady Region is a region with higher education and favourable conditions, measures must be taken to turn the region into a proud one for the country by making concerted efforts for development of the manufacturing sector.

In connection with livestock breeding, everyone consumes meat, milk and eggs. It is necessary to encourage the breeding of beef cattle and fish. Catch of fish in off- and near- shore fishing has dropped year by year and it is found that fish resources have dwindled. Fish that can be available easily in rivers and creeks is also consumed.

The government is releasing fingerlings into rivers and creeks to replenish fish resources. As fishery products from the country are also exported to other countries every year, it is necessary to exert efforts for development of fish and prawn breeding in Ayeyawady Region.

Industrial development is important to manufacture valueadded products from agricultural products. Therefore, measures must be taken for development of industrial zones. Agriculture and livestock breeding products from Ayeyawady Region can be transported locally and to other countries via waterways. By exerting efforts for industrial development, job opportunities can be created and the number of migrant workers can be reduced and creating job opportunities at home is the best for the country.

It will be of great benefit for the country if measures are taken for manufacturing goods from local products in Ayeyawady Region.

It is to consider breaking with tradition in carrying out the tasks for development, economy and growth. Changes should be made without having deep-seated belief if thought that it will be fine. As Ayeyawady Region has already had good features and foundations for the agriculture industry, there will be better development if all make concerted efforts.

A government needs to be an administrative body that has won the people’s trust and credibility. It is necessary to make it happen as said.

We are not doing politics but management for the interest of the State for the development of the nation. Although civil servants are assigned duties depending on qualification requirements, there are no qualification requirements for politicians. Civil servants have much experience and are ones who have already learned practically and theoretically.

There will be achievements if missions will be successfully implemented with the already gained good foundations in sector-wise tasks for development of the nation. We are making efforts to achieve as much as possible while taking the responsibilities of the State.

As we will continue to keep going on as planned with the political and national goals, I, being proud of being a head of civil servants rather than a head of state, would like to urge civil servants to make efforts in assigned duties for the interest of the State.

After the meeting, the Senior General and party cordially greeted departmental officials.

Then, the Senior General and party went and inspected the construction site of a nine-story annexe for Pathein General Hospital. Assistant Director U Thein Soe of the Ministry of Construction reported to the Senior General and party on facts about the project, tasks being taken on a basis of financial years, and works remaining to be done.

The Senior General gave instructions on the report saying it is necessary to take into consideration the need of emergency response in building the facilities. It is also necessary to provide supervision so as to complete the project timely in the set period. It is needed to consider and calculate all aspects to enable the patients to receive medical treatments comfortably.

Later, the Senior General and party took an inspection tour of the construction site and fulfilled the needs on the reports by officials.

In the evening, the Senior General and wife and party paid homage and offered flowers, water and lights to Shwemuhtaw Mahaceti Pagoda, the pride of Pathein.

The Senior General signed the visitor’s book and presented cash donations for the pagoda through officials of the pagoda board of trustees who in turn presented Dhamma gift.

The Senior General and wife and party circled the pagoda clock wise and urged officials to carry out maintenance and renovation work for the pagoda’s sustainability, to seek help from expert electricians for safety, to keep documents of the pagoda and to fulfill other requirements.