Efforts are being made to peacefully utilize nuclear energy in electricity, agriculture, education and health in the future, said Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in a meeting with MSME businessmen at Yadanabon Hall in Mandalay Industrial Zone yesterday morning to talk about the development of MSME businesses.
Ensuring prosperity of the nation and food sufficiency as national aspirations
In his speech, the Senior General said the residents of the nation need to ensure the prosperity of the nation and food sufficiency, and they have to strive for creating job opportunities and a booming local economy. In this regard, these processes must have plentiful raw materials, the sufficiency of inputs, the availability of capital, and an adequate number of human resources.
Sufficiency supply of electricity which is important for the development
Industries need energy and power. The supply of electricity is based on hydropower. On his tour of Russia, he discussed the generation of hydropower and nuclear energy. Myanmar has plenty of water sources to generate hydropower. Despite heavy capital, hydropower is beneficial for the long-term plan. Hence, efforts are being made to peacefully utilize nuclear energy in electricity, agriculture, education and health in the future.
The government pledged to supply raw minerals and timbers for industrial raw materials. Manufacturing of quality products is based on modern machinery, technology, human resources and capital. Encouraging local manufacturing is contributing to the booming of the local economy in order to manufacture import-substitute products.
It is necessary to encourage the public transport sector. To electrify public transport, efforts must be made for generating electricity through hydropower, nuclear power and solar power. Arrangements are being made to supply electricity to Mandalay at full capacity with proper installation of cables and implementation of solar power projects.
Efforts made for the development of industries based on local agriculture and livestock products
Mandalay Region produces agricultural raw, livestock raw and industrial raw materials, and the government pledged to provide assistance for necessary sectors. The government is striving for the availability of quality cotton strains. If the per-acre yield of cotton can be raised at home, it will contribute much to the clothing of the people. Mandalay Region needs to successfully engage in industries based on cotton.
If Mandalay Region systematically engages livestock farms, waste from these farms can be used as bio-fertilizer at the agricultural farms. High-quality livestock products can be exported to the foreign market, creating job opportunities for local people for improving their socioeconomic status.
Encouraging local manufacturing contributes to the booming of the local economy
The government pledged to supply raw minerals and timbers for industrial raw materials. Manufacturing of quality products is based on modern machinery, technology, human resources and capital. Encouraging local manufacturing is contributing to the booming of the local economy in order to manufacture import-substitute products.
It is necessary to encourage own operation and management of products instead of the efforts of foreigners.
Rocketing prices of goods are based on the imbalance of supply and demand. It is necessary to reduce production costs. All need to encourage businesses at home, domestic production and local investments. Only when job opportunities are larger at home will the number of migrant workers be down.
Reports on MSME development and industrial zone improvement
Before the speech delivered by the Senior General, Chairman of Mandalay Region Chambers of Commerce and Industry U Win Htay and officials from committees and associations reported on the availability of market share for products, supply of technologies and capitals, disbursement of loans to cotton growers at the soft interest rate, improvement of weaving industries, sufficient electricity for the industries, requirements of finished product manufacturers, levying proper tax over imported finished goods and mitigating tax for imported raw materials.
Responses to relevant sectors
Union Minister U Tin Htut Oo, U Hla Moe and Dr Charlie Than and Mandalay Region Prime Minister U Maung Ko responded to the discussions on the issuance of capital by the State for the supply of necessary inputs, implementation of rural development and cooperative system, formation of cooperative societies of local farmers with facilities of the State, transfer of techniques and offer of the central working committee for ensuring smooth flow of trade and commodities in Mandalay Region.
The Senior General cordially greeted MSME businesspersons and then visited booths of foodstuffs, personal goods, industrial products, traditional medicine, and agricultural farming vehicles from Mandalay Industrial Zone. He asked about sharing of markets and officials of booths and replied to queries.
The Senior General also paid homage to Maha Lawkamarazein Kuthodaw Pagoda and viewed round scale models of the pagoda and stone plaque chambers, terrace, stairways, the circular road to the tier-roofed building and placing of tiles and left instructions on systematic construction tasks, and made cash donations to the pagoda through the pagoda board of trustees. — MNA
