Vice President U Henry Van Thio, who is currently in Chin State to inspect development projects, met with local people in Suarkhua which was recently upgraded from a village to a town.
On the way to Suarkhua, the Vice President inspected work on the expansion of the Matupi-Haka Road.
At the meeting with local people in Suarkhua, Vice President U Henry Van Thio promised to set up the required offices and departmental organizations, in accordance with the rules and regulations, so that Suarkhua can meet the standards of a town.
He expressed the hope that the town would see development in terms of security, rule of law, education, and health thanks to new governmental departments, and urged the residents to understand the efforts of the Union Government.
An administration office was established in Suarkhua in 1892. From 1966 to 1974, the Suarkhua Village-tract was designated as a sub-township, under the office of a gazetted officer of sub-divisional rank.
In 1974, Suarkhua was designated as a village-tract according to the constitution. It was raised to the level of a town on 25 April, 2019 upon the residents’ demand.
The government has already opened a Basic Education High School, Basic Education Primary School, and fire stations in Suarkhua. A 16-bed hospital and a police outpost were established in the area in 1978.
The slow pace of development in Chin State can be attributed to its poor transport infrastructure, said the Vice President. He said the poverty rate in Myanmar is 26 per cent, of which Chin State accounts for 76 percent.
He said this is why the people of Chin need to work harder than the other states and regions to develop their state.
The Vice President said the village-tracts of Chin State have been promoted to the town level to encourage hard work. He said the cooperation of the people is important at a time when the Union Government is striving for regional development.
The Vice President said the government and the public must join hands to produce effective development. The elevation of Suarkhua from village-tract to town is the fifth such promotion in Chin State in the three years of civilian government rule. The other village-tracts that have been upgraded to towns are Kyin Dway and Ma Kwi Ein Nu in the south, and Hnaring and Webula in the north.
“Underdeveloped transportation infrastructure has seriously impeded Chin State’s development, but everyone is now working to improve that sector in conjunction with the economic, societal, education, and health sectors,” said the Vice President.
He said the Chin people have always aided and supported their other ethnic brothers and sisters throughout the nation’s history. He expressed the wish that the Chin people maintain that tradition of support, while participating in efforts for bringing about national peace and stability, and establishing a democratic federal Union.
Afterwards, a local elder spoke about the requirements for regional development, and officials in attendance told the residents about the support their respective department would be providing to address them.
Officials who spoke to the locals included State Ministers U Soe Htet and U Shwe Htee Yo, Permanent Secretary U Win Tint of the Ministry of Construction, and Director-General Dr. Than Win of the Department of Higher Education.
Later, the Vice President posed for a documentary photo with all those in attendance. — MNA (Translated by GNLM)
