Vice-Chairman of State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win Attends and Delivers a Speech at Coordination Meeting on Natural Disaster Rehabilitation in Rakhine State

The Coordination Meeting on Natural Disaster Rehabilitation in Rakhine State was held at the Rakhine State Government Office on 14 June. Vice-Chairman of the State Administration Council (SAC) Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win, in his capacity as the Chairman of the National Natural Disaster Management Committee, attended the meeting and delivered a speech at the meeting.

Union Ministers, deputy ministers and officials at the meeting reported on the requirements for taking relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation measures for disaster-hit Rakhine State of relevant sectors. After hearing the reports, Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win coordinated the needs for the reports, and delivered a speech as follows:

• Measures have been taken to distribute paddy seeds that are compatible with the region in a timely manner. The Department of Agricultural Mechanization arranged to operate 85 tractors for monsoon rice cultivation.
• In accordance with the policy of the Prime Minister, it is necessary to follow the guidance in using the funds for repairing the ministerial buildings and it needs to strive for securing development more than the original status.
• Regarding the foodstuffs, measures have been taken to enable all the people in Rakhine State to consume sufficient food. The state government and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation have to join hands in manufacturing agricultural and livestock products such as sole proprietorship business without raising commodity prices in the region.
• Regarding the communication sectors, a total of 892 of 1,233 radio stations have been repaired and about 99.03 percent of the tasks have been carried out.
• In the electricity sector, Ponnagyun-Sittwe No.1 power line resumed electricity supply to Sittwe 66kV Sittwe 66 kV sub-power station 1 as of 6 June, and Setyokya sub-power station 2 in Sittwe on 8 June.  Thirty-three wards in Sittway are electrified by 245 transformers at full percentage. It was found that electricity supply is available to all downtown wards  in Ponnagyun on 7 June. It is necessary to exert efforts to resume electricity supply in the remaining townships in Rakhine State by the first week of July.
• Aiming to ensure the purified drinking water in the storm-hit areas, Department of Rural Development has deployed six mobile water purification vehicles in Sittwe, Minbya and Rathedaung, supplying 32,000 gallons of water every day in eight hours.
• Possible sanitation and maintenance tasks have been carried out in Government Technical High School, Sittwe University, Technological University and University of Computer Studies in Sittwe Township which were opened on 1 June.
• From 16 May to date, two special healthcare teams and eight rapid response teams have given medical treatments to locals at township and station hospitals in 17 Townships of Rakhine State.
• To enable the public to use roads and bridges destroyed by the natural disaster without disruption, construction task forces under the Ministry of Construction started the reconstruction tasks on 18 May.
• Concerning the distribution of relief aid donated by the international community, it is necessary to seek permission from the Rakhine State government for providing aid to IDPs and Bengalis under the rules and regulations.
• Relief and rescue supplies for areas hit by the Mocha cyclone can be donated at the Disaster Management Committee (DMC) in Yangon, which is the transportation hub of the country, through the Ministry of International Cooperation. The committee will distribute the aid to areas in need in Rakhine and Chin States by vessels and aircraft.
• The OnSite Operation Coordination Centre was organized for systematic measures related to international aid.
• Regarding the rehabilitation tasks, people are required to cooperate with the responsible officials at the national, state, district and township-level concertedly to enable the local to resume their businesses peacefully.

Also present at the meeting were members of the SAC Admiral Tin Aung San and Dr. Aung Kyaw Min, union ministers, chief minister of Rakhine State, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, commander of Western Command, deputy ministers and departmental officials.

Source: MWD (15-6-2023)

• In accordance with the policy of the Prime Minister, it is necessary to follow the guidance in using the funds for repairing the ministerial buildings and it needs to strive for securing development more than the original status.
• Concerning the distribution of relief aid donated by the international community, it is necessary to seek permission from the Rakhine State government for providing aid to IDPs and Bengalis under the rules and regulations.
• Relief and rescue supplies for areas hit by the Mocha cyclone can be donated at the Disaster Management Committee in Yangon, which is the transportation hub of the country, through the Ministry of International Cooperation. The committee will distribute the aid to areas in need in Rakhine and Chin States by vessels and aircraft.

• Regarding the rehabilitation tasks, people are required to cooperate with the responsible officials at the national, state, district and township-level concertedly to enable the local to resume their businesses peacefully.