Nay Pyi Taw Council’s actions support national development in one way or another
Nay Pyi Taw is one of the ASEAN’s 26 cities which would be established as the ASEAN Smart Cities Network.
After Nay Pyi Taw was designated as an initial city for the ASEAN Smart Cities Network in 2018, Nay Pyi Taw Council adopted the action plans and implemented them to ensure quality environment and infrastructure meeting criteria of a smart city in Nay Pyi Taw.
Following is excerpts of the answers from the interview with Nay Pyi Taw Council Chairman Dr Myo Aung.
Q: Achievements of the Nay Pyi Taw Council in fourth-year period
A: Nay Pyi Taw Council is implementing the tasks laid down in accordance with the State’s policy to building a federal democratic country.
During the fourth-year period (during 2019-2020) fiscal year, the Nay Pyi Taw Council is implementing 1,757 projects, with a budget of over K100 billion. In the first-year period of the incumbent government, the Nay Pyi Taw Council implemented 1,431 projects, with the budge of over K41 billion; in the second year period, 1,392 projects with over K 42.4 billion, and in the third-year period, 1,880 projects with over K90 billion.
Q: Achievements in the education sectors
A: In the fourth-year period, the Nay Pyi Taw Council is implementing 393 projects. During this fiscal year, 69 new school buildings will be constructed. Besides, 8,562 teachers were appointed in the Nay Pyi Taw Council Area in this fiscal year. Win Pyithit Foundation and Korean donors installed water purifiers at three high schools in three townships; DB Insurance Company built one one-storey hall and Soe Electric Foundation, an eight-unit housing for teachers. Over 200,000 students are attending classes at 784 schools in Nay Pyi Taw Council Area. Libraries were opened at 565 schools under the guidance of the State leaders. Students were motivated to partake in the central level sports events under the multiple development programs.
Schools hold commemorative essay, poem and arts competitions on the significant days including the birthday of General Aung San.
Q: Health undertakings
A: Nay Pyi Taw Council is providing public healthcare with five central level hospitals, two district level hospitals, and 15 township level hospitals. Moreover it implemented 19 work programmes at an expense of over K 4,982 million in the fourth year. Various kinds of vaccines have been provided at clinics in addition to hospitals to extend the coverage of the vaccination programme. The number of facilities of the private sector including hospitals has been extended to 250 in Nay Pyi Taw. The committees to prevent, contain and treat Covid-19 are holding meetings every week in the Union Territory. Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) is operating round the clock in monitoring and informing about the infection. It has already made contact numbers available.
Covid-19 Surveillance Teams of the Public Health Department are checking and monitoring daily all the passengers arriving at Nay Pyi Taw International Airport since 26 January. Staffs of the Township Public Health Department Offices are checking the body temperature of the guests staying at the hotels in Nay Pyi Taw every day and monitoring them.
The teams are visiting the hospitals at the central level and other stages to find out whether they have any coronavirus suspected patients and conducting Community Surveillance on returnees every day.
Health awareness campaigns against Covid-19 have been conducted in the township of Union Territory. On 18 March this year, the Nay Pyi Taw Council issued an order stating the instructions to be followed and urging departments, entrepreneurs and public to collectively take part in the Covid-19 prevention, containment and treatment activities.
Q: Progress of the agriculture sector
A: The Nay Pyi Taw Council Area has a large number of villages in its eight townships, and its main business is agriculture. So, priority is being given to the development of rural areas for the progress of the agriculture sector. The Nay Pyi Taw Council Area put 171,969 acres under paddy during the previous rainy season, and produced 14.5 million baskets of paddy. Per acre yield of the crop was 84.79 baskets. It has targeted to grow 20,443 acres of summer paddy, and has already put 3434 acres under the crop. It also put 340,046 acres under other crops including corn, beans and pulses and oil crops. Its rice sufficiency is at 100.31 per cent and cooking oil sufficiency is at 137.32 percent.
Q: Irrigation development in Nay Pyi Taw
A: Nay Pyi Taw implemented 148 irrigation projects at a cost of over K 8555 million in fiscal year 2019-2020. They included the improvement of the irrigation system, dredging, canal building, and erection of Check Structures on outflow canals, embanking, main canal upgrading and retaining walls. The Union Territory is using World Bank loans in implementing irrigation projects apart from the budget allotment of the State. It is building the left canal of Hsinthay Dam in Tatkon Township at a cost of over K 3064 million approved by the State for fiscal year 2017-2018. When completed, the canal will irrigate nearly 8000 more acres in the area. Apart from the World Bank, loans are coming from other financial sources for the irrigation sector.
Q: Endeavours for progress of farming
A: The Union Territory is developing the aqua and animal farming as it is a rural based area. It distributed K 3 million for cattle breeding in Weigyi village in Pyinmana Township and disseminated livestock knowledge for the locals. Nay Pyi Taw also conducted courses on Good Animal Husbandry Practices (GAHP) and Community Animal Health Worker (CAHW) for several times. It also produced cow pups through artificial insemination.
Q: Extension of the nation’s electrification coverage
A: Two mega dams in the Nay Pyi Taw Council Area are generating clean energy for the capital city. Of the eight townships of Nay Pyi Taw Council Area, Zabuthiri and Zeyathiri are cent per cent electrified townships, and of the 796 villages of the area, 580 are electrified. Seventy-seven villages will get power under the Nay Pyi Taw Council budget, and 20 villages under the National Electrification Project. A total of 30.78 miles of 11 Kv open wire cables and 26.25 miles of 400-volt open wire cables will be replaced with insulated cables in fiscal year 2019-2020 to reduce blackouts and brownouts and electrical hazards.
Q: About the undertakings for sufficient potable water supply
A: Nay Pyi Taw has a population of over one million, and of them over 400,000 are government employees. Nay Pyi Taw Development Council is carrying out the task of supplying water for staff quarters of the capital. Nay Pyi TawDC implemented 115 projects at a cost of K 1,970 million in fiscal year 2019-2020 during the fourth year in eight townships. The projects included tube-wells, pumping stations, spring water supply systems, and plumbing and water tanks.
Q: Undertaking for socio-economic development
A: Nay Pyi Taw is implementing 172 work programmes at an expense of over K 11,906 million during the fourth year. It will take preventive measures against flood, bank erosion, and carry out dredging and watercourses management in four townships. It has completed 95% of the staff housing and hostel project, it is implementing with the allotted budget of K 50 billion.
Q: Arrangements of the rule of law and community peace
A: The anti-drug drive is designated as a national task in enforcing the rule of law and community peace in Nay Pyi Taw Council Area. Apart from a large haul of drugs, Nay Pyi Taw has seized arms, ammunition and explosives and arrested seven male and three female suspects. Nay Pyi Taw authorities also seized 68 unlicenced cars and 14 unregistered motorcycles in the fourth year. They could also impound over 529 tons of various kinds of illegal timber valued at over K 17 million. The capital has a 24-hour crime monitoring system with the use of 470 CCTV cameras. Moreover, it received a budget of over K 4,454 million for erecting the e-Government Network, the e-Lte Network and the Command and Control Centre.
Q: Tourism promotion activities
A: Ngalike Dam was established as an ecotourism site of Nay Pyi Taw last year, where elephant riding and feeding is available, and over 200 are visiting the site every day. Nay Pyi Taw will also develop a hot spring into an internationally attractive destination. Vice President U Henry Van Thio led a feasibility study team for the development of Nanmongyi area, which has a splendid waterfall.
Q: Turning Nay Pyi Taw into a smart city
A: Nay Pyi Taw has been projected to become an education centre of the country in the future. Nay Pyi Taw has designated 100 acres of land for South Korea-sponsored multinational education promotion programme. Another 100 acres of land has been projected for a new ICT Park in Nay Pyi Taw.
Q: Programmes for farmers and odd job workers
A: A total of 286 cooperative societies have provided over K 5,199 million as loans and aids for 30,408 farmers. Under the programme of Thettantyaung micro finance, over K 5,596 million were disbursed to nearly 10,000 informal workers.
Q: Other undertakings
A: Cash assistance is being provided to 1,346 grandpas and 2,962 grandmas of eight townships in Nay Pyi Taw every three months. Moreover, 118 disabled persons are also enjoying financial assistance. Nay Pyi Taw provided food and construction materials worth over K 97 million for natural disaster victims in the area. It also held talks on natural disasters, conducted natural disaster alleviation courses for volunteers for 185 times. Nearly 400,000 volunteers have completed the courses.
Q: Undertaking of Nay Pyi Taw Development Council (Nay Pyi TawDC)
Markets Department of Nay Pyi TawDC installed wheelchairs, pathways, steel handrails, wheelchair stands and toilets for persons with disabilities, and special pathways, handrails and signboards for people with vision disabilities at a cost of over K 183 million. Engineering Department, has built 45 roads at a cost of over K 1,475 million, 61 box culverts at a cost of over K 393 million, brick canals at over K 213 million. It has spent over K 2,266 million for development undertakings.
Nay Pyi Taw Council has been carrying out development undertakings with full responsibility and accountability. It is fulfilling the main requirements including health, education, electricity, transport requirements of the public, with added momentum. Its undertakings will be supportive for national development in one way or another. (Translated by TMT)
