By Nandar Win PHOTO: TARYAR
Chin State, a major ecotourism destination of the future
KENNEDY Peak of Laytha mountain where pine forest thrives and cherries and rhododendron flowers bloom in Tiddim Township is a tourist attractive place of Chin State. The 8871-foot high Kennedy Peak is the best place to admire the natural wonders of Chin State formed with high mountain ranges, green forests and wild flowers. The local government is turning the whole Chin State, including the Kennedy Peak into a major ecotourism destination, especially for foreign visitors.
“We have no serious problems or conflicts in Chin State. It is a peaceful place imbued with a lot of natural beauties. For example, we have Khawnusom Mountain, which is an ASEAN heritage, magnificent Bontala Falls and mysterious Reed Lake. The weather is almost cold in ever season all the year round and the mountains are decorated natural forests and thriving crops,” said Salai Lian Luai, Chief Minister of Chin State.
Located in the western part of Myanmar, Chin State is bordering India in the west, Bangladesh, Rakhine State and Magway Region in the south and Sagang Region in the east. It has a population of roundabout 500,000, and it is the second smallest states of the country.
Chin State government is ensuring food sufficiency and reducing poverty in the state by generating income sources and job opportunities in fiscal year 2020-2021.
Mission
The adopted policy of the local government is to develop farming that is suitable for the state, improve infrastructure, develop small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and protect and develop the natural environment.
Vision
Local government’s vision involves the task of reclaiming mountain farming areas for growing cash crops and raising livestock, improving the transport sector, developing the manageable, small and medium enterprises and improving the power supply. It also includes undertakings for rural development, human resources, health, education, multiple services, reducing unemployment rate, increasing domestic and foreign investment, socio-economic development, and progress of border trade. The local government enacted laws in connection with regional development, financial procedures and rules, development affairs, micro credit industry and financial sharing.
Development undertakings
Fire Services Department office of Chin State built fire stations in Haka, Mindat, Tiddim, Paletwa, Varlon, Falam and Hsamee (Paletwa) and retaining walls in fiscal year 2016-2017. In fiscal year 2019-2020 it built one staff housing each in five towns, area fire stations in two villages and a town, and retaining walls for the durability of the fire stations.
Chin State government built two suspension bridges, extended roads, built culverts and housings in improving the infrastructure. It allotted Ks 932.692 million for border and ethnic youth development school and women’s vocational education school in fiscal year 2019-2020.
Rural development
The Rural Development Department (RDD) is building staff housing, earth roads, culverts, retaining walls, water supply and rural housings at a cost of over Ks 3980 million in fiscal year 2019-2020. The emerald green rural development project of Chin state covers nine townships, 235 units and 360 villages.
Agriculture
Chin State introduced the contract system in fiscal year 2016-2017 for the development of the agriculture sector. So, it is establishing farms under both the departmental arrangement and the contract system. It set up 2155 acres of highland farms during the period between 2016- 2017 and 2018-2019; 100 acres under the Union budget allotment in fiscal year 2019-2020; 275 acres under its own budget programme; and 650 acres under contract system.
Irrigation
Laivar Dam near Talanzar village in Falam Township is generating 2.8 million kilowatt hours annually and electrifying Haka and Tiddim. The dam is now supplying piped water for Falam residents. Lower Laivar Dam projects is being implemented at a cost of over Ks 3,524 million, and it will be completed in fiscal year 2019-2020. In addition, Theekee dam is providing water to nearby villages and 550 acres of crops. The dam was completed in fiscal year 2017-2018.
Moreover it will produce 50 million kilowatt hours of electricity for nearby villages, schools, police stations and churches.
Transport
Road Department office of Chin State is protecting and repairing eight union highways and 25 local roads. It built 21 bridges and is building 10 other bridges during the period between fiscal years 2016-2017 and 2019-2020 in the state.
Urban development
Chin State built staff housings, a township office, a rest house, retaining walls for staff housings and the state office, concrete roads, and installing meters under the budget allotment of over Ks 1756 million for fiscal year 2016-2017; staff housings, rental homes, gravel roads and retaining walls under the budget allotment of over Ks 2129 million for fiscal year 2019-2020; various kinds of buildings, concrete roads, gravel roads, earth roads, culverts, bridges, drainages, and retaining walls under the budget allotment of over Ks 8484 million for fiscal year 2019-2020; roads and also establishing 676 acres of residential land plots of the Haka rural projects under the budget allotment of Ks 300 million in fiscal year 2019-2020;
Development affairs
The development affairs bodies of Chin State have been building new markets, upgrading the existing ones in Haka, Mindat, Paletwa, Khaingkam and Hsamee and implementing the rural development plan of Haka, the capital of the state.
Health, Education
The state is building new schools, education staff houses, pre-primary schools, hostels, retaining walls and upgrading the schools and hospitals in Haka, Thantalan, Falam, Tiddim, Tunzan, Mindat, Matupi and Kanpetlet. It built nursing and midwifery training school at a cost of over Ks 149 million, and implemented staff housing, laboratory, station hospital, ward extension, operation theatre, and building projects in various townships of Chin State.
Aviation
An airport project is being implemented in Falam (Hsulbon) as the main gateway to Chin State by plane. The project stated in fiscal year 2015-2016 and will be completed in fiscal year 2019-2020. The local government is building all the necessary infrastructure of the airport project at a cost of over Ks 34 billion and completed 83 per cent of the projects on 3 March this year. Test landing and test flying of an ATR-72 is underway. The new airport will start handling regular flights in September 2020. Lialinpi, a town in Matupi Tonship, Matupi District in the southern part of Chin State will have an airfield under the financial aid of Mission Aviation Fellowship International (MAF). The mini airport project is being implemented under the supervision of Aviation Department of the Ministry of Transport and Communication. The airport will have a 3000-foot long and 130- foot wide runway. Over 45 per cent of the work is completed on 3 March 2020.
Disaster prevention
The local government redrew the plan for taking precautionary measures against natural disasters, emergency response programmes including search and rescue during the disasters, and rehabilitation programmes during the post-disaster period. It is also building retaining walls, drainage canals, and multipurpose shelters.
It is cooperating with international partner organizations and civil society organizations (CSOs) in carrying out healthcare, disaster preparatory, regional development, job generation, infant care, food sufficiency, relief, birth spacing, and medical treatment undertakings, and the operations of a bureau to help migrant workers.
Peace
Chin National Front (CNF) held a meeting where its representatives recounted the discussions at the third Union Peace Conference: 21st Century Panglong.
Reforms and benefits
The local government has formed the development affairs committee and seized land scrutinization committed with the involvement of multiple departments, and thanks to the collective meetings based on common interest it can alleviate the unnecessary problems of the public and improve the socio-economy and living standard of the locals. The local government is working hard for regional peace and stability, security, the rule of law and public welfare, and opening the door for inclusive participation of the public.
“Chin State is now witnessing the transport development. We have already linked Haka, Falam, Thantalan, Matupi and Kanpetlet with upgraded tarred roads. Moreover, 80 per cent in Chin State is using mobile phones,” said the Chief Minister of Chin State. Thanks to the marked progress in mobile phone and internet networks in Chin State, the local people and departmental personnel can now study knowledge on a wider scale.
They now have the broader knowledge of the internal and international affairs, including the impacts of climate change and the political and social trends of the world and Myanmar. As the local government has swiftly allotted natural disaster funds in accord with the requirements, locals can carry out preparatory, response and relief and rehabilitation undertaking more effectively.
The Ministry of Construction has prioritized the quality and durability in carrying out infrastructure development undertakings in accordance with the set standards in Chin State. Local entrepreneurs who win tenders for material supply or operations are gaining experience and expertise from the government projects which are also helping alleviate poverty by generating job opportunities.
The Union Government is implementing long-term plans including the Kaladan River Project, the Paletwa Industrial Zone Project and Khaingkam Industrial Zone Project in Chin State.
In implementing the development plans of Chin State, the local government is working with accelerated momentum in accordance with the framework of laws, rules and procedures adopted by the Union.
(Translated by TMT)
