IN  carrying  out  rural  development,  which  is  fundamental  to  the  country’s  economic  transformation,  active  cooperation  of  the  local  residents  and  their  good practice of maintaining the development  facilities  for  sustainable and efficient use is one of  the  strengths  of  the  village  committees  and  villagers,  said  Union  Minister  U  Tin  Htut  Oo  during the Solar Mini-Grid opening ceremony in Thae Aww village in Myeik District on May 2.

Union Minister for Agriculture,  Livestock  and  Irrigation  U  Tin  Htut  Oo  also  added  the  rural  youths  who  have  a  basic  knowledge of technology should be trained in advance during the project,  which  would  be  very  helpful  for  the  village  development.

In order to provide electricity to rural areas, rural lighting works will be carried out in areas that have not yet been electrified, areas  more  than  10  miles  from  the power grid, villages interest-ed in cooperating and in densely populated villages with more than  50  households  in  the  next  ten years in accordance with the NEP Off-Grid policy.

With  the  support  from  the  World  Bank  and  the  German  Development  Agency  (GIZ),  the National Electrification plan (NEP)  is  implemented  by  the  60%  contribution  of  the  Rural  Development Department, 20% public contribution and the 20% investment  company’s  contribution.

The availability of electricity will provide electricity to the rural  population  and  seafood  farming,  which  needs  electricity,  smallscale  production  and  business, and expansion of value-added products in Thae Aww village.

Afterwards, the Union Minister  and  party  arrived  at  OK  advanced rice mill and inspected the  rice  production  and  packaging, the use of by-products of paddy husk to generate electricity  and  reuse  in  rice  mills  and  factories.  The  Union  Minister  also met with local farmers who were  cooperating  with  the  rice  mill and discussed the concept of a contract farming system with mutual understanding and trust between private entrepreneurs and farmers and the possibility of obtaining assistance from the relevant  departments  for  good  seed  conversion  and  technical  requirements.

The  Union  Minister  and  party  also  encouraged  the  water supply system being carried out by the Department of Rural Development in Pyin Gyi village and  inspected  the  demonstration of rubber tapping field with raincoat  and  oil  palm  research  at Shwe Du Farm.

MNA

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