Vice-Senior General Maung Aye makes arrangements to facilitate rehabilitation tasks

NAY PYI TAW, 3 June— Vice-Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Deputy Commander-in- Chief of the Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army) Vice-Senior General
Maung Aye gave necessary instructions to responsible persons including ministers and national entrepreneurs concerning rehabitlitation tasks in Mawlamyinegyun and Bogale Townships at Mya Ayeyar meeting hall in Pathein yesterday. In his address, Vice- Senior General Maung Aye said that it was encouraging to witness the concerted efforts made with nationalistic fervour by departmen tal officials, local people and national entrepreneurs to carry out relief and reconstruction tasks in the storm-hit regions.

Giving a helping hand to storm victims so that they can overcome any difficulty reflects strong nationalism and Union Spirit of the nation and the people as well as unity and strength of the nation. It is Union Spirit as well as the spirit of helping each other that Red Cross members of Kachin State from the far north had come to Kadonkani in the southern Myanmar to provide the storm victims with aid in Ayeyawady Division. Bearing in mind that reconstruction of stormstricken regions is an extraordinary task construction work is to be carried out along with upgrading work. In that regard, coordination is indispensable to be able to make arrangements considering specific needs of the respective storm-hit areas. Arrangements had already been made for one region to help another in times of need.

have been made for enjoying food security.Like Ayeyawady Division which is the rice bowl of lower Myanmar, a cluster of dams and reservoirs were built in Sagaing Division to turn it into the rice bowl of upper Myanmar for self-sufficiency in rice. With the emergence of Thapanseik Dam, Sagaing Division has now been able to enjoy the surplus of 100 million baskets of rice every year. Similarly, steps are being taken to turn Taninthayi Division into an edible oil pot like Magway Division. As arrangements fulfillment of basic commodity wherever necessary, local people are now In conclusion, he spoke of the need for those present to openly discuss matters on effective implementation of the reconstruction tasks in stormhit regions of Ayeyawady Division as the government has made arrangements for successful realization of the tasks.

Next, Vice-Senior General Maung Aye greeted the national entrepreneurs present on the occasion. Afterwards, officials led by Prime Minister General Thein Sein went on discussing the reconstruction and development measures in detail. In his address, Central Committee Chairman Prime Minister General Thein Sein said that Vice Senior General Maung Aye had already clarified relief, reconstruction and development tasks, policy of the government towards preventative and preparedness measures in the event of natural disaster, future work and arrangements. He continued to say that relief and reconstruction of storm-hit regions had been successfully carried out in a short period of time through the active participation of members of National Disaster Preparedness Central Committee, the respective subcommittees, local people
and national entrepreneurs.

The government will make arrangements for storm victims to enable them to resume their livelihoods such as agriculture, fisheries and salt industry, and the relevant ministries and officials concerned are to report the requirements in that regard, he noted. Next, Central Committee Vice-Chairman Secretary- 1 of the SPDC Lt-Gen Thiha Thura Tin Aung Myint Oo dealt with reports of the relevant ministries and requirements. This was followed by a general round of discussions. The meeting ended with the concluding remarks by Central Committee Chairman Prime Minister General Thein Sein.—MNA