“The regional government upgrades classrooms regularly to develop the education sector. In 2018-2019, they opened 47 basic education high schools, 143 basic education high branch schools, 417 basic education middle schools, 187 basic education middle branch schools, 148 post primary schools, 85 primary schools and 27 primary branch schools.”
Magway Region
- By Mawsi
Photo: Khant Maw Oo
There have been many noticeable changes and improvements in the third year of administration by the people’s elected government. The governing body of Magway Region has been striving for the uniform development of the people’s livelihoods and regional stability since over the course of three years.
Historical milestones
The regional government’s efforts to improve the lives of its citizens and speed up regional development and stability has solid undeniable historical milestones.
The Department of Roads handled 2,187.544 miles of road in the region and 454.460 miles were implemented by six private companies under the B.O.T system.
There are five districts and three special road and bridge groups under the regional road department. They carry out tasks such as constructing new roads and bridges, maintaining and upgrading existing ones in line with the available funds from the Union and regional budgets.
From the 2016-2017 FY to 2018-2019 FY, they received K15,070.544 million from the Union budget and K169,677.52 million from the regional budget. The department performed such tasks as paving bitumen roads, asphalt concrete roads, expanding roads, laying new layers on existing roads, paving reinforced roads, building bridges and concrete culverts.
Additionally, the roads department acquired funds from the department for developmental affairs and used them on paving 120/5.62 miles of roads, building 682 bridges, conducting 367 water-related projects and other 76 miscellaneous tasks.
They also used a tender system to pave 2/4.25 miles of roads, funds from the regional government for 17/2.27 miles of roads, 181 bridges and canals, 19 water-related projects, and 36 other tasks. Using the tender system, they also built 66 bridges and canals.
Natural disasters
The regional department for water resources and development of bodies of water used K450 million from the 2018-2019 FY’s Union budget to dig shoals. They carried tasks to ensure smooth flow of bodies of water and preventive measures for bank erosion using K1,552.91 million from the regional funds, K340.938 million from the general excess funds, and K380.42 million from the tax dividend funds. They also used K90 million from the natural disaster fund and K3,136.75 million from the regional funds to conduct preventive measures for bank erosion.
Positive results
The regional cabinet has collaborated with the Ministry of Construction to build roads and bridges that will support the region’s development. The transportation infrastructure was upgraded over the course of three years and has resulted in lesser traffic accidents, cost-effective and time-saving travel, increase trade and other benefits.
The Agricultural Machinization Department contributed to the agricultural development of Magway Region. In the 2016-2017 FY, they formed 100 acres of irrigated cultivation for Ko Yan Taung-tract in Myothit Township and 200 acres of irrigated cultivation for Kalar Par village-tract in Minbu Township using K175.75 million from the regional budget. To help farmers own more agricultural machinery, the regional government has arranged for purchasing schemes from government departments and private-cooperation sales. In 2018-2019, government departments sold 26 large tractors, 566 mechanized tillers and 2 combine harvesters.
The Department of Irrigation and Water Management began repairing the Yesakyo-Tamartan embankment in 2018-2019 FY using K100 million. They have currently finished 35 per cent of the work.
They have conducted 45 maintenance tasks in the first six months of 2018 using K1,058.976 million from the Union funds. In 2018-2019 FY they used K2,120 million to begin work on 116 tasks and have completed 76 of them so far.
Ongoing tasks
The Agricultural Machinization Department also used K569 million from the Union budget in the six-month budget period of 2018 to build approach portions, crest portion walling to RL-560’ and approach portion walling up to RL-540’.
In the 2018-2019 FY, they will use K750 million from the Union budget to repair spillway No. 2, approach portion walling. They began work on the spillway on 15 December 2018 and are carrying out coffer dams, basins and drainages.
Concerning the construction and maintenance of dams and rural reservoirs, they used K4,217.489 million in the first six months of 2018 to undertake 184 tasks. They used K5,572.921 million in 2018-2019 FY for 187 tasks. They also used K593.0204 million from the tax dividend fund for 24 tasks and K30 million from the disaster fund for 1 task. Out of the 212 tasks they are handling, 57 tasks have been completed so far.
The regional government delegated the task of increasing spillways in the Kyee-ohn-kyee-wa dam in 2018-2019 FY to an external company. They used K250 million from the Union budget to expand 200 feet of the 450 feet of spillways by lowering RL-340’ by 4 feet to RL-336’.
Implementations
The Department of Rural Development’s responsibilities involve developing the education, healthcare, society and businesses of the people and regulating better trade flow. In the first six months of 2018, they implemented 7 miles and 5.18 furlongs of rural trade routes and built 3 rural trade bridges using K204 million.
In 2018-2019 FY, they used K770.876 million to implement 21 miles and 5.9 furlongs of rural trade routes and build 12 rural trade bridges.
Furthermore, they used K4,587.8189 million for rural water supply tasks from 2016-2017 FY to the six-month budget period of 2018. Using that fund, they implemented 443 tasks in 431 villages, benefitting 319,210 people from 66,388 households. They performed 123 rural water supply tasks for 123 villages in 2018-2019 FY using K2,360.604 million from the allotted budget.
In the electric power distribution sector, the regional government used K10 billion from their budget in the first six months of 2018 to implement 103.83 miles of 11KV transmission lines, 100 11/0.4 KV transformers, and 47.871 miles of 400V transmission lines benefitting 104 villages. They constructed the 66/11 KV 5 ampere Thayet substation to convert from a 6.6 KV system to a 11 KV system.
Upgrading and expanding
The regional government upgrades classrooms regularly to develop the education sector. In 2018-2019, they opened 47 basic education high schools, 143 basic education high branch schools, 417 basic education middle schools, 187 basic education middle branch schools, 148 post primary schools, 85 primary schools and 27 primary branch schools. They also carried out numerous developments for the healthcare sector in 2018 FY by constructing three-room residential buildings for the Department of Traditional Medicine in Myaing Township which was completed on 16 August of the same year. They also constructed an embankment for the traditional medicine department of Yenangyoung Township and provided fencing for a similar department in Htilin Township.
Support provided
For the township rural health departments and sub departments in Magway Region, the regional government sued K1,711.761 million in 2018-2019 FY to purchase pharmaceuticals. And with the programme provided by the Public Health Department, the regional government was able to supply 2,745 mobile tablets to various doctors and medical personnel across the townships of Magway Region so that they can be up-to-date with the latest medical news and discoveries.
The regional government elevated two rural health sub-departments to department status in 2018 and opened 14 new sub-departments as well.
In the 2018-2019 FY, the regional General Administration Department used K15 million from its allotted budget for rural development projects by submitting to the regional government so as to approve the proposals from districts for development. The regional government expanded and rearranged 29 villages in 2018.
There are couple of noteworthy cases concerning illegal drugs in the third year of the Magway Region government administration. From 23 to 27 January 2018, the regional government collaborated with the Tatmadaw, Myanmar Police Force, relevant departments and NGOs to uncover and destroy 55.8 acres of poppy plantations in Ngaphe Township of Minbu District and Thayet Township of Minhla District. From 3 to 9 December 2018, they eradicated 18 acres of poppy plantations of the same two townships. And from 21 to 27 January 2019, they eradicated 28.14 acres of poppy plantations from the same two townships.
Visible change
The efforts of the Magway Region Government to make the region more developed and safer for its residents is visible and their accomplishments are plain for all to see. The regional government has made strides in agriculture, electric power, transportation, water supply, healthcare, education, rule of law, communal safety, and the rights and protections granted by existing laws on the people.
The reforms, improvements and achievements made by the people’s government are the fresh new steps towards establishing a peaceful and prosperous nation with sustainable peace. It won’t be long till we all reach our shared objective in the future.
(Translated by Pen Dali)
