26 Sep 

The Department of Rural Development has implemented the Cash for Work Project which could create 2.8 million job opportunities for rural people in 2,505 villages in 259 townships from July to September.

The project was fully completed. The government carried out the project under COVID-19 Economic Relief Plan to allow people living in rural areas to work for rural development themselves and receive income at the same time.

The project, which was undertaken with 4,402 subprojects in 2,505 villages of 259 townships in regions/states, provided K 10 million cash assistance each to the villages.

Under the project, the department carried out digging up sewers and canals, cleaning dirty water, paving roads in the village, maintaining bridges, removing debris that can cause landslides, fencing water tanks and reservoirs and building them, linking water pipes, building and maintaining harbour bridges, building small-scale dams, retaining walls, sports grounds, school buildings, clinics, community halls, markets, and planting trees near water bodies and recreational areas.

Some 2.8 million rural people from 390,000 households secured jobs and earned incomes from the labour intensive project.

Although the project planned to use only 60 percent of the cash assistance as wages for the labours, on the ground up to 70 percent amounted nearly K 17 billion could be provided.

For ensuring transparency in project implementation, a feedback mechanism was established to address challenges in time.

For ensuring gender equality, the project supported equal participation of males and females at all levels, and ensured equal rights for all people including disabled persons.

MNA (Translated by Kyaw Zin Tun)