The state government and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation have to join hands in manufacturing foodstuffs without raising commodity prices in the region for food sufficiency of locals, said Vice-Chairman of the State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win at the coordination meeting on Rakhine State rehabilitation at the Rakhine State government office yesterday afternoon.
Union Minister Lt-Gen Tun Tun Naung and Rakhine State Chief Minister U Htein Lin reported to the Vice-Senior General on the accomplishment of the guidance of the SAC Chairman Prime Minister, repairing of cable networks in Sittway, efforts for electrification as quickly as possible, water supply, education, health, road/bridge, agriculture/livestock and irrigation sectors, rehabilitation tasks and distribution of relief aid.
Union ministers, deputy ministers and officials discussed requirements for taking relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation measures in Rakhine State.
In his address, the Vice-Senior General who is also Chairman of the National Disaster Management Committee said progress of rehabilitation can be seen in Maungtaw and Buthidaung thanks to departmental officials and locals.
The Vice-Senior General disclosed the Department of Agricultural Mechanization arranged to operate 85 tractors for agricultural tasks in necessary townships of Rakhine State. Arrangements are being made to send more power-tillers to the disaster-hit state.
In accordance with the policy of the Prime Minister, the Vice-Senior General stressed the need to follow the guidance in repairing the ministerial buildings and it needs to strive for securing development more than the original status.
The Vice-Senior General stated that the state government and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation have to join hands in manufacturing foodstuffs without raising commodity prices in the region for the food sufficiency of locals. Efforts must be made for ensuring the sufficiency of meat, fish, egg and vegetables in the region as part of implementing the cash-for-work programme.
A total of 892 of 1,233 radio stations have been repaired, Electricity is being supplied to Sittway 66 kV sub-power station 1 through Satyoekya sub-power station 2 from Ponnagyun-Sittway No 1 power cable on 6 June. Thirty-three wards in Sittway are electrified by 245 transformers. A total of 29 transformers feed electricity to all urban areas in Ponnagyun from 7 June. The Vice-Senior General called for the timely completion of electrifying the remaining townships in the first week of July.
Some 32,000 gallons of water is being supplied to Sittway, Minbya and Rathedaung on a daily basis. Moreover, 210 life straws and mobile pumps must be distributed as quickly as possible.
Government Technical High School, Sittway University, Technological University and University of Computer Studies in Sittway Township were opened on 1 June, and basic education schools started teaching on 1 June with an attendance of more than 492,000 students.
From 16 May to date, medic teams have given treatment to 17,239 outpatients and 33,527 inpatients in 17 townships of Rakhine State. Construction task forces under the Ministry of Construction started the reconstruction of roads and bridges damaged by the disaster on 18 May.
The Vice-Senior General stressed the need to seek permission from the Rakhine State government for providing aid to IDPs and Bengalis under the rules and regulations. Aid can be donated to Yangon Region DMC to Mocha-hit regions through the Ministry of International Cooperation. The government connects with Humanitarian Country Team, approved the plans of the Secretary-General of ASEAN as the ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance Coordinator (SG-AHAC) for viewing damaged conditions and formed the On-Site Operation Coordination Centre for systematic measures related to international aid.
The Vice-Senior General also called for harmonious cooperation of officials at different levels with people in undertaking rehabilitation tasks.
In his conclusion, the Vice-Senior General underscored that all have to cooperate with one another in unison to take rehabilitation measures in line with the guidance of the Prime Minister that Rakhine State must be better than usual. — MNA/TTA
