September 23

 

Utmost efforts must be made harmoniously for meeting the sector-wise and region-wise targets and export target in the plans and inflow of investment, said Chairman of the National Planning Commission Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing at the National Planning Commission meeting 1/2021 at the office of the Chairman of the State Administration Council yesterday morning.

 

In his address, the Senior General said the meeting 1/2021 of the National Planning Commission would approve the six-month National Planning bill of 2021-2022 financial year among the Union ministers, the Union Attorney-General, the Union Auditor-General, the Chairman of Nay Pyi Taw Council and region and state chief ministers.

 

Although the financial year was set from October to September, the new financial year will be set from April to March in 2022-2023 financial year. So, the six-month National Planning Law will be set for six months from October 2021 to March 2022.

 

Myanmar has sent a report on the implementation of the sustainable development goals-SDGs to the UN Economic and Social Department in time.

 

The government strived for the country to be free from the LDC status. Hence, it is necessary to implement the projects and work procedures for meeting the standards for enabling the country to be free from LDC status.

 

As the government emphasizes food sufficiency of the entire people, narrowing of the development gap between rural and urban areas and poverty alleviation, relevant Union ministries and region and state governments need to cooperate with each other in the work process.

 

The Senior General noted that the six-month national plan aims to revitalize the economic and social affairs and contribute to the social-economic development of the people. The Senior General urged region and state authorities to strive for meeting the targets in respective sectors during the six-month project period so as to secure the quick win.

 

It is necessary to produce marketable crops suitable for climatic conditions, apply modern agricultural techniques and technologies, agricultural machinery and prevent dangers of pests in order to implement modern farming. To be able to do so, agriculturists, breeders and engineers as well as technicians must be turned out continuously. On the other hand, they need to avoid using overdose of pesticides and develop organic agriculture and livestock farming to meet international standards.

 

The Senior General stressed the need for an increase of livestock products to be exported for earning income for the State by distributing the pedigree animal species, providing modern livestock systems to the breeders and performing veterinary works.

 

The Senior General urged those present to utilize the advantages of respective sectors such as agriculture and livestock sectors, industrial and service sectors, one village one product and SME sectors for the economic development of the respective regions and states.

 

The Senior General pointed out that it is necessary to create job opportunities for those who returned from foreign countries and strive for re-operating the factories at full capacity.

 

If the cultivation of cotton meets the target of 800,000 acres of land under the farmland policy to produce 800 to 1,000 viss per acre of cotton in order to develop local textile industries based on cotton yarn and earn income from the export of cotton and cotton products. The Senior General also highlighted the import of fuel and cooking oil and fertilizer, production of edible oils at home, spending of funds on generating electricity and fuel consumption. It is necessary to strive for the production of value-added products to increase the export volume so as to reduce the trade deficit. If Myanmar can upgrade the industries based on agriculture and livestock farms, the State economy is sure to resurge.

 

The Senior General stressed the need to emphasize the thrift of finance during the six-month planning period and to spend the fund on purchase of actually needy materials. The public-private partnership programme should be implemented under the rules and regulations and laws for the economic development of the State.

 

The cooperative system must be implemented with the direct participation of the people for the improvement of the rural economy and production. The Senior General stressed the need for turning out qualified teachers and emerging the developed education system. He urged all to research the production of vaccines and medicines against COVID-19 through cooperation among the relevant departments and the Ministry of Health.

 

Preparations must be made for the protection of disaster-hit areas. The Senior General expressed his firm belief that if all the people make utmost efforts for carrying out development undertakings, Myanmar will be a middle-class country in the ASEAN region within five years and a top country within 10 years.

 

Vice-Chairman of the National Planning Commission Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win discussed drawing of the plans for ministries and regions, political, economic and social stability of the State and improvement of socio-economic status of the people within six months, the resurgence of the economy, thrifty spending of the funds and coordination for implementing the targets of projects.

 

Secretary of the commission Union Minister for Planning and Finance U Win Shein reported on drawing the six-month national plan (proposal draft) for 2021-2022 financial year, review over the foreign loans of the State and levying the tax, the Union ministers and the Union Auditor-General on drawing the respective plans and implementation.

 

In his response to the reports, the Senior General urged relevant ministries to conduct systematic timber extraction and eliminate the illegal timber extraction and illegal sawmills. He also stressed the need to increase the number of taxpayer people, rather than increasing the tax rate. The personnel who join the CDM activities political hinder to causing difficulties to collect the taxes and incite the taxpayers not to pay taxes. It is necessary to improve the technologies for levying the tax and relevant ministries are to strive for securing the full amount of taxes.

 

The amount of loans accumulates due to carrying out the tasks without income for the State. Myanmar needs to increase the products for ensuring the economic development of the State so as to reduce the volume of foreign loans.

 

Suspension of projects implemented with foreign loans brings loss to the State. Ministries need to cooperate with the government and private sectors in the production sector with more plans to upgrade the techniques for the enhancement of productivity at factories. Upgrade of basic production of the country with the use of loans should be implemented carefully systematically.

 

As part of conserving the environment, it is necessary to reduce the businesses relying on underground and above ground natural resources, especially for timber extraction and gem excavation. Renewable energy must be generated for the consumption of energy. The drawing of plans must conform with the national characteristics of the country and the nation in actual situations.

 

In his concluding speech, the Senior General said the six-month national plan as a bridge between current and future financial years is based on the Five-Point Road Map and Nine Objectives of the State Administration Council. Such plans are to recover the economy that deteriorated in the COVID-19. Relevant ministries and regional governments are to join hands in implementing the plans.

 

The budget must be spent under the rules and regulations, and such spending must be auditable. Inputs must efficiently be used with minimizing loss and waste. And, it is necessary to monitor the implementation of the projects.

 

Utmost efforts must be made harmoniously for meeting the sector-wise and region-wise targets and export targets in the plans and inflow of investment. If income and expenditure are systematically arranged, projects will secure accomplishment.

 

The Senior General urged all to enhance cooperation between the State and private sector for fulfilling the needs of the people. Utmost efforts must be made for the resurgence of the economy and social affairs in a short time and he invited to all timely report the needs of the work process to be fulfilled by the State. — MNA