Efforts were made to minimize the casualties as much as possible in performing the counterattacks to terror acts: Senior General

 

June 1

 

AS the emphasis is being placed on the formation of the districts in the administrative machinery, important departments should open their offices in the newly-formed districts and self-administered division and zones, said Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing at the meeting 4/2022 of the Union government at the SAC Chairman Office in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.

 

Efforts for ensuring peace and stability

In his speech, the Senior General said efforts were made to minimize the casualties as much as possible in performing the counterattacks to terror acts. Some security personnel and innocent people lost lives in the terror acts. Now, the country is in tranquillity.

 

Control of COVID-19 pandemic

Till 30 May, Myanmar has examined more than eight million people and found 613,326 people as infected persons. Among them, 19,434 people lost their lives. Now, the infection rate declines to 0.16 per cent in Myanmar. The Senior General expressed thanks to China, India, Thailand, Russia and Malaysia for their aid as showing the friendly relations.

 

Enhancement of the education sector

This academic year, efforts are being made to reopen the basic education schools which have admitted enrolment of more than 4.9 million students with more plans for enrolment of further students. Universities and colleges in the higher education sector are in operation to allow the learning of students. The government will fulfil the needs of students to peacefully learn education.

 

Need for a booming economy and increasing products for the development of the State

The Senior General said State-owned factories cannot manufacture quality products due to the use of old machinery, late technologies, less operating capacity, and a lesser volume of inputs. The government is carrying out the development tasks of the nation by spending its earnings. It is necessary to scrutinize the efficiently spending of the fund under the rules and regulations if necessary. Due to some requirements for trading of the State, restrictions were posed for importing some goods. But arrangements were made not to be a shortage of fuel and edible oil despite high prices in the world market.

 

Some regions and states are endowed with raw materials to produce steel and cement for the construction of the buildings. If it can establish small-scale industrial zones for the production of cement for construction tasks based on these raw materials, it will fulfil the regional development, benefiting the relevant regions.

 

Need for development of relevant regions, land utilization and raising productivity

Regarding regional development, land utilization and raising productivity, the Senior General said: “I have told chief ministers one month ago. If they utilize their land and natural resources to increase production, it will contribute much to the State. So, I emphasize resources. We have water and land resources. We have cultivable lands and the lands for livestock farms. So, I held a separate meeting for the development of the Nay Pyi Taw Council Area recently. I told those present to fully utilize the land. For example, we have some 33 million sown acres in addition to 48 million acres of mixed and double cropping lands. So, some 15 million acres of land are used for single crops and the remaining are for the mixed and double cropping plants. If we try to cultivate double crops on 15 million acres of land, the volume of agricultural produce will double. Although it may be impossible, the actual work can bring good results. So, we have to manage land, quality strains and water for farmers. These products can be used in livestock farms. It will be feedstuffs. Agricultural products will come out. If cattle farming achieves success, many businesses based on agriculture and livestock farms can be operated in regions and states. If industries are operated, they require electricity. If region and state authorities strive for generating electricity on their own without taking electricity from national grids, these productions can be operated in the electricity generating areas. If they operate productions for livestock and agricultural products, industries and industrial zones will come out in regions and states. It is just a potential way for production. I don’t tell any impossibility. It will be the best that regions and states need to put investments in businesses in their areas without hoping for the investments from a far distance in order to manufacture the domestic products. I have told it once in Pathein. While inspecting Pathein industrial zone, I heard a report inviting foreign companies to operate garment factories there. So, I said it may be possible. But, you have rice mills there. You grow beans. So, you should try hard to produce value-added products. You need to cultivate vegetables and operate livestock farms and then manufacture value-added products, so these businesses will contribute much to the State. So, these projects must be implemented by region and state authorities.”

 

Need for improvement in the sports sector

The Senior General continued to say that Myanmar stood in 7th position in the XXXI SEA Games. The Senior General said he himself met with athletes bound for the SEA Games. It was found that those athletes poured out utmost efforts in the competitions of the games. In reviewing the records of the games for three years, this year’s result is better than previous ones. In the XXXI SEA Games, 287 athletes bagged nine gold, 18 silver and 35 bronzes, totalling 62 in 20 sports events. Despite the fewer number of athletes than in previous years, their achievements gained progress. Sports are the prestige in a country. To improve the standard of sports, the countries with monetary assistance, encouragement and prevalence of peace and stability based on security and political trends secure a bigger win than Myanmar.

 

It can be found that athletes are weak in physical strength and physical development. So, it is necessary to repair the supply of food for them. It is necessary to prepare the job opportunities and guarantee for their lives.

 

Union ministers submitted reports on their respective sectors.

 

In his response to the reports, the Senior General pointed out the establishment of government technical institutes, technological colleges and technological universities in regions and states. Regions and states need to establish vocational training schools. Relevant ministries need to arrange further learning for students from these schools to pursue university education. Provisions of the national education law are being reviewed to amend something if necessary, not to mix education with politics. Students can learn political science at the university but they are not allowed to mix education with politics. If they wish to engage in politics, they need to join the political field.

 

As the emphasis is being placed on the formation of the district in the administrative machinery, important departments should open their offices in the newly-formed districts and self-administered division and zones. The ministries relating to the international organizations need to prioritize discussions on the education sector and human resource development measures. — MNA