The New Light of Myanmar (Tuesday, 15 January, 2002)(1/2)

[Okkar66126@xxxxxxx]

The New Light of Myanmar (Tuesday, 15 January, 2002)(1/2)
--------------------------------
1. - Secretary-1 receives member House of Councillor of Japan
   - Secretary-1 inspects regional development tasks in
     Htantabin township
2. Secretary-1 inspects construction of Chindwin Bridge (Monywa)
3. Mass rally in support of national, rural development tasks
   held in Mon State
4. Maj-Gen Maung Bo inspects development tasks in Kayin, Mon states
5. Maj-Gen Maung Bo inspects Winphanon Dam, building of Thanlwin
   Bridge (Mawlamyine) in Mon State
6. Maj-Gen Ye Myint inspects regional development tasks in
   Kachin State
7. Minister inspects library and museum in Sittway
8. - MV Doulos leaves Yangon
   - Prizes distributed to winners in Horticulture Show and
     Competition
9. Armed Forces Day Military Band Contest continues

---------

( 1 ) Secretary-1 receives member House of Councillor of Japan

Yangon, 14 Jan- Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen
Khin Nyunt received Mr Hideo Watanabe of House of Councillors of Japan and
party at the Yeiktha of the Ministry of Defence at 9 am today. Also Present
at the call were Minister at the State Peace and Development Council
Chairman's Office Brig-Gen Abel, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Khin
Maung Win and Director-General of Protocol Department Thura U Aung Htet. The
guests were accompanied by Japanese Ambassador to the Union of Myanmar Mr
Shigeru Tsumori and officials.

---------

Secretary-1 inspects regional development tasks in Htantabin township

Yangon, 14 Jan-Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen
Khin Nyunt accompanied by officials of the State Peace and Development
Council Office inspected upgrading of Htantabin-Hlaing Thaya short-cut and
regional development tasks in Htantabin township this morning. At the work
site of the short-cut upgrading project, departmental heads and officials
reported to the Secretary-1 on tasks being implemented for development of
Hlaing Thaya and Htantabin region construction of buildings, betterment of
transportation, supply of clean water and supply of electricity. Then, the
Secretary-1 gave necessary instructions. Later, the Secretary-1 inspected
construction of buildings which will contribute to the development of the
region. After giving necessary instructions, the Secretary-1 left there.

___________________________


( 2 ) Local people urged to participate in development tasks for realization
of the objectives laid down

Secretary-1 inspects construction of Chindwin Bridge (Monywa)

 Yangon, 14 Jan-Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen
Khin Nyunt and party arrived at the construction site of Chindwin Bridge
(Monywa) in Mindaunk Village on 12 January. Senior Engineer U San Nyein of
Public Works reported on facts about the Chindwin Bridge (Monywa), completion
of main piles of the bridge, future tasks, construction of approach bridges
on the bank of Monywa and that of Letkhokepin in Salingyi Township and
progress of work. Monywa-Kalewa Road Construction Project in-charge Col Soe
Thein reported on construction of 115-mile-long and 30-foot-wide
Monywa-Alon-Yagyi-Myoma-Kalewa earth road, the paving of a 40-mile-long
section with tar, the paving of the road with gravel, construction of conduit
pipes and future tasks.

 The Secretary-1 then gave instructions. The Secretary-1 inspected progress
of work in building Chindwin Bridge (Monywa). The bridge links Mindaunk
Village in Monywa and Letkhokepin Village in Salingyi Township. The lower
structure will be built of reinforced concrete and the upper structure of
steel trusses. The bridge is 4,730 feet long and 28 feet wide. Itt has two
six-foot-wide walkways and can withstand 60-ton loads. Construction of the
approach bridge of Chindwin Bridge (Monywa) has been completed. Installation
of beams has been completed by 99 %, and installation of reinforced concrete
beams and flooring by 61 %. Installation of steel trusses is under way.
Construction of the whole bridge has been completed by 55 %.
Monywa-Ahlon-Yagyi-Myoma-Kalewa road is being constructed.

 The distance between Monywa and Kalewa is 160 miles long via
Monywa-YayU-Taze-Thetkalkyin road. On completion of the bridge and the road,
the distance between them will be 115 miles long via
Monywa-Alon-Yagyi-Myoma-Kalewa road, and the construction of the new road cut
the distance by 46 miles. On completion of the Monywa-Alon-Yagyi-Myoma-Kalewa
road, over 60 villages along the road will develop and the socio-economic
life of local people will improve.

 Monywa-Alon-Yagyi-Myoma-Kalewa road will be the shortest road linking
Sagaing Division and Chin State on completion of Chindwin Bridge (Monywa). It
will also contribute towards the development of Naga region and Chin State,
improvement of quality of life of local people and national solidarity. In
addition, the road will also become the shortest road which provides access
to the Indian border. It will contribute to development of border trade
between the two countries and bring about economic deveopment of the State.
Efforts are being made to complete the road and the bridge as soon as
possible in accord with the guidance of Head of State Senior General Than
Shwe.

Secretary-1 Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt and party, accompanied by Deputy Commander of
North-West Command Brig-Gen Soe Myint, inspected the surfacing of a
20-mile-section with tar along Monywa-Alon-Yagyi-Myoma-Kalewa road. The
Secretary-1 and party arrived at the 20th mile camp near Chaungma Village in
Kani Township. They were welcomed by the Monywa-Kalewa Road Construction
Project in-charge Col Soe Thein and officials. The Secretary-1 and party
inspected the paving of another 20-mile-long section with tar on
Monywa-Kalewa road.

The Secretary-1 and party arrived at the 40th mile camp near Yagyi
Village-tract in Kani Township. The Secretary-1 and party were welcomed by
members of Kani Township Peace and Development Council, chairmen of Yagyi
Village-tract Peace and Development Councils, departmental personnel, members
of the Union Solidarity and Development Association and local people. The
forty-mile-long section of the road from Monywa to Kalewa road has been
tarred. The Secretary-1 met chairmen of Yagyi village-tract Peace and
Development Councils, education and health staff. The chairmen of Yagyi
Village-tract Peace and Development Councils reported on the condition of
cultivation work.

The Secretary-1 said agricultural produce can now be transported easily and
smoothly as the condition of transport in the region is improving. He called
on all to work hard for regional development, cultivation, conservation of
forests and durability of the roads. Education and health staff reported on
civil service affairs and measures undertaken for education and health. The
Secretary-1 fulfilled the requirements. The Secretary-1 and party arrived at
Meme Village in Mingin Township where they were welcomed by Brig-Gen Khin
Maung Aye of Kale Station, members of Kale District and Mingin Township Peace
and Development Councils, departmental officials, members of USDA, members of
Maternal and Child Welfare Association, members of women's affairs committee,
teachers, students and local people.

The Secretary-1 and party gave oral polio vaccines to children under five to
mark the Seventh Year Immunization Days (Second Round) in the compound of
Meme Village Basic Education High School Branch. The Secretary-1 met members
of Kale District and Mingin Township Peace and Development Councils,
departmental officials, members of USDA, members of Maternal and Child
Welfare Association and members of women's affairs committee at the hall of
Meme Village BEHS. Secretary of Kale District Peace and Development Council
Major Myint Lwin reported on transport, water supply for urban and rural
areas, sown acreage, kind of crops and cultivation of crops, livestock
breeding and measures undertaken for education and health.

 Chairman of Mingin Township Peace and Development Council U Kim Khant Paung
reported on regional development including transport, water supply, education
and health. Headmistress Daw San Yu Mar reported on academic matters and
civil service affairs. The Secretary-1 presented television sets, video
cassette player, cassette player, a generator, 600 dozens of exercise books
and teaching aids for the school to Headmistress Daw San Yu Mar. The
Secretary-1 presented medical equipment for Myoma health centre to Daw Ni Ni
Aung.

 The Secretary-1 then fulfilled the requirements. He said Kalay District is
an important region for linking both India and Chin State. Therefore the
government is providing assistance for construction of roads and bridges and
fulfilling the regional requirements including education and health. The
Kalay-Tamu road was opened and the shorter Monywa-Yagyi-Kalaywa road is being
built instead of using the existing longer road across Mahamyaing Forest, he
said.

The Monywa-Yagyi-Kalaywa road, a shorter one, is being constructed with the
goodwill to bring about development of villages along the road under the
guidance of Head of State Senior General Than Shwe, he said. Earth work for
the Monywa-Yagyi-Kalaywa road has been completed and the 40-mile section of
the road has been tarred. On completion of the whole road, economy in the
region will develop and quality of life of local people will improve, he
added.

Concerted efforts are to be made for more regional development, for raising
the living standard of local people and for boosting production of
agricultural produce after realizing the goodwill of the Head of State and
the government, he said. Now five rural area development tasks are being
systematically implemented under the guidance of Head of State Senior General
Than Shwe. The objectives will be realized rapidly if the rural people
participate in the tasks, he said. Efforts are to be made for consolidation
of social associations such as USDA, MCWA, women's affairs committee,
auxiliary fire brigade and Red Cross Brigade that are participating in the
tasks for progress of social activities including rural development under the
arrangement of the government, he said.

 He said the government is building infrastructures on regional and economic
development for raising the living standard of the people and enjoyment of
better social results. The Secretary-1 called on local people to participate
in regional development tasks. Afterwards, the Secretary-1 inspected students
studying at language lab and students saying prayers at the altar room at Me
Me village Basic Education High School (branch).

 The Secretary-1 and party proceeded to Kalay where they were welcomed by Col
Zaw Win of Kalay Station, military officers, departmental officials, members
of USDA and family members of Tatmadawmen. Later, the Secretary-1 and party
attended the oral polio vaccine giving ceremony of the second round of the
Seventh Year National Immunization Days held at Military Hospital in Kalay
and gave oral polio vaccine to the children under five. Next, the Secretary-1
and party proceeded to General Hospital in Kalay where they were welcomed by
Medical Superintendent Dr Thein Nyunt, specialists, physicians and nurses.

 Dr Thein Nyunt reported to the Secretary-1 on background history of the
hospital, number of staff, common diseases, giving treatment, existing
buildings, extension of the hospital as 200-bed one, providing modern medical
equipment and medicines by the government, setting up a medical trust-fund
and giving assistance to the needy patients. Then, Director-General Dr Wan
Maung of Health Department and Senior Engineer U Saw Han of Public Works
reported to the Secretary-1 on extension of ward (B) and extended
construction of buildings in the hospital.

Later, the Secretary-1 inspected the newly-constructed two-storey ward (A),
the intensive care unit and the children's ward. He also inspected chosen
site for construction of two-storey ward (B) and around the compound of the
hospital. He gave necessary instructions. Afterwards, the Secretary-1 and
party arrived at new building of Kalay airport. Senior Engineer U Saw Han of
Public Works reported to the Secretary-1 on construction of the building
which is 120 feet long and 60 feet wide. Minister for Transportation Maj-Gen
Hla Myint Swe reported to the Secretary-1 on extension of the runway and
putting extra layer on the runway. The Secretary-1 gave necessary
instructions. Then, he inspected the newly constructed airport building.
___________________________

( 3 ) USDA formed to safeguard Union, help build peaceful, modern and
developed nation

 Mass rally in support of national, rural development tasks held in Mon State


Yangon, 14 Jan - A mass rally to support national and rural development tasks
organized by Mon State Union Solidarity and Development Association was held
at Yamanya Sports Grounds in Mawlamyine Township, Mon State, on 11 January
morning.

It was attended by executives of Mon State USDA, executives of Mawlamyine
District, Thaton District and Township USDAs and members of Kyaikto, Bilin,
Thaton, Paung, Mawlamyine, Chaungzon, Kyaikmaraw, Mudon, Thanbyuzayat and Ye
Township USDAs totalling about 20,000. Secretary of Mon State USDA U Tin Soe
Moe Naing presided over the mass rally with executives of Mon State USDA U Ko
Ko and Dr Khin Zaw Hlaing as members of the panel of chairmen. Executive of
Phettan Ward USDA Daw Khin Malar acted as master of ceremonies with executive
of Thaton Township USDA Daw Nang Nyo Nyo Win as co-master of ceremonies.

Chairman of the rally Secretary of Mon State USDA U Tin Soe Moe Naing said
that the USDA was formed with the offspring of the national people with the
aim of safeguarding the Union and building a peaceful, modern and developed
nation. Therefore, all the members of the association are determined to
actively participate in the efforts for the development of the nation.

 The government is implementing tasks for national unity and peace and
stability, for the development of economic infrastructures, for the
enhancement of economic power, for the development of national human
resources, for the improvement of social efficiency and for the promotion of
regional and international cooperation in accord with the 12 national
objectives. The development of rural areas where over 70 per cent of the
population reside is to be given top priority. It is necessary to fulfil the
needs of villages.

All the members of the association need to regard nation-building endeavours
of the government as a national working plan, to maintain peace and
tranquillity and stability, to participate in the nation-building tasks and
to pay constant attention to rural development tasks. Executive of Bilin
Township USDA Maung Aung Bo Bo tabled a motion calling for support of
national development tasks being undertaken by the government. He said that
in Mon State, Azin Dam, Wapa Dam, Shwenattaung Dam and Winphanon Dam have
been built, and they can now irrigate 18,720 acres of land.

 In addition, Shwenattaung Dam supplies drinking water for the people in
Mawlamyine. Kadaik Dam is being constructed in Paung Township. A study of the
utilization of land in the country shows that there were 19.9 million acres
of cultivated land in 1988-89 and 25.9 million acres of cultivated land in
2000-2001. In Mon State, previously, there were 845,203 acres of cultivated
land and there are now 1,121,617 acres of cultivated land. Monsoon paddy has
been cultivated on 669,576 acres of land and summer paddy on 140,000 acres of
land. The estimated yield of paddy for this year is 51.523 million baskets of
paddy. In Mon State, Attaran Steel Suspension Bridge, Gyaing-Zathabyin Steel
Suspension Bridge have been built. Now Ye River Bridge, which is important
for Ye-Dawei Railroad, is under construction.

 Thanlwin River Bridge (Mawlamyine), the longest of its kind in Myanmar, is
also in course of construction. Moreover, to better the condition of
transport, 44 roads linking villages have been built in 2001-2002. As
altogether 116 miles of roads have been built, the condition of transport is
becoming more secure and easier. To promote the contribution of the
industrial sector to the development of the nation, the government is working
for generation of electricity. Within a decade, 26 hydroelectric power
projects have been implemented, and major projects such as Yeywa
Hydroelectric Power Project, Bilin Hydroelectric Power Project and
Paung-laung Hydroelectric Power Project are being implemented.

 At the same time, gas power stations and coal-fired power stations are being
built in the country. In Mon State, arrangements are being made to open more
auto-telephone stations and to install magnetophones in rural areas.
Afterwards, executive of Mawlamyine Township USDA Ma Thin Thin Mon seconded
the motion tabled by executive of Bilin Township USDA Maung Aung Bo Bo. She
said that in Mon State, the government technical college, the computer
college and the education college have been opened, and Mawlamyine University
has been extended as well.

After 1988, new 13 basic education high schools, 18 middle schools and 115
primary schools have been opened. Multimedia teaching centres have been
opened as well. In addition, nine learning centres and Pyinnya Yaungchi
Modern Libraries have been opened in Mawlamyine and Thaton. In conclusion,
she said that it can be seen that national development tasks of the
government are making considerable progress, which benefit the new generation
youth as well as the people.

Moreover, that progress contributes to the emergence of a peaceful, modern
and developed nation. Then, Paung Township USDA executive Ma Hnin Wint Aye
tabled the motion calling for participation of USDA members in rural
development tasks. She said it can be seen obviously that development affairs
committees, the Water Resources Utilization Department and the Irrigation
Department sank tube-wells and hand-pumps and built not only lakes, small
dams and sluice gates but also dams, namely, Azin, Wapa, Shwenattaung and
Win-phanon for water availability in Mon State.

 Moreover, the government has been carrying out the nine-district greening
projects since 1993 and now the projects have been extended to 13 districts
with the aim of beautifying and greening the tropical regions. The government
is giving priority to the implementation of the rural development tasks. Five
objectives of rural development tasks laid down by the government are basic
needs of the State. She believes that if these objectives would be
implemented, poverty reduction in rural areas could be carried out.
Therefore, she firmly called on USDA members to join hands with the State and
the people in undertaking rural development tasks in accord with the future
tasks of the association.

Afterwards, Chaungzon Township USDA executive Maung Myo Min Hlaing seconded
the motion tabled by Paung Township USDA executive Ma Hnin Wint Aye calling
for participation of USDA members in rural development tasks. He said USDA
members made efforts for establishing model villages in cooperation with the
Ministry for Progress of Border Areas and National Races and Development
Affairs which is performing development for rural areas, the General
Administration Department and Maternal and Child Welfare Associations. By
doing so, 40 model villages of Development Committees, 100 model villages of
the General Administration Department and 41 model villages of MCWAs were
established in Mon State.

 Regarding rural health care services, priority is given to health care
services that there were 1,337 rural health care units in 1988 and 1,402
units in 2000-2001 fiscal year. Similarly, regional health care units are
opened from 64 units up to 84 units. In the education sector, 5,336 basic
education schools are opened now more than the past a decade.

A total of 85 retransmission stations were built with a view to enabling the
local people to enjoy TV programmes conveniently. In conclusion, he said the
rural development tasks are noble tasks with a view to ensuring development
of the entire nation. Therefore, he heartily supported the motion on actively
participation of USDA members to achieve success of rural development tasks
being undertaken by the State. Then, the rally passed the resolutions in
support of the StateÕs development tasks, rural development tasks laid down
by the State and participation of USDA members in national and rural
development tasks. Later, the rally ended with chanting the slogans.

__________________________

to be continued ...