It is necessary to soonest complete the reconstruction of schools and hospitals and provide quality seeds of crops and agricultural machinery to local farmers as quickly as possible, said Vice-Chairman of the State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win, who is also Chairman of the National Disaster Management Committee, at the rehabilitation coordination meeting of the management committee at the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday afternoon.
Speaking on the occasion, the Vice-Senior General said that progress can be seen in undertaking rehabilitation tasks in storm-hit Rakhine State within three weeks. The Vice-Senior General called for taking lessons from the rehabilitation tasks in the aftermath of cyclonic storm Nargis and the participation of all ministries for the soonest completion of rehabilitation in all aspects.
The Vice-Senior General stressed the need for relevant ministries to spend expenses for the maintenance on repairing the damaged parts. If they do not have an adequate amount of funds, they have to submit reports for seeking the emergency fund of the national disaster management committee.
According to the first-time collection of data, losses and damage happened in Chin State, Magway, Ayeyawady and Sagaing regions. These losses and damage will be inserted into the national-level loss and damage list.
The Vice-Senior General highlighted that an emphasis must be placed on the collection of information about rehabilitation tasks to be released on time.
On 1 June, basic education schools and higher education schools were reopened in Rakhine State easing the worries of local people. It is a success of rehabilitation efforts. Moreover, it is necessary to timely complete the repairing of station hospitals and township hospitals.
Communication rehabilitation tasks have been completed by 96 per cent in Rakhine State. The Ministry of Electric Power has completed repairing 230 kV power cables for 93 per cent and 66 kV power cables for 98 per cent.
On 7 June, 230 kV and 66 kV lines will electrify Sittway and Ponnagyun whereas 11 kV lines will electrify Sittway and Ponnagyun. It is necessary to soonest complete the reconstruction of schools and hospitals and provide quality seeds of crops and agricultural machinery to local farmers as quickly as possible.
Vice-Chairman of the committee Union Minister for Home Affairs Lt-Gen Soe Htut reported on the progress of rehabilitation, collection of losses and damage data, setting rehabilitation period, transport of relief supplies by Tatmadaw and civil vessels and aircraft, providing healthcare services to locals, transport of construction materials, treatment to cattle in Rakhine State, repairing of buildings in Ayeyawady and Magway regions and Chin State.
Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr Thet Thet Khine reported on receiving cash donations amounting to K26.009 billion and more than US$375,000, purchase of 200,000 bags of rice from Myanmar Rice Federation through the natural disaster management fund, transport of construction materials to Sittway, and collection of data in Sittway, Rathedaung, Kyauktaw and Ponnagyun together with ASEAN-ERAT.
Union Minister for Transport and Communications Admiral Tin Aung San also clarified measures to provide aid to groups and categories, supply fuel to transport vehicles, vessels and aircraft, and construct schools and other buildings in Rakhine State by the Ministry of Construction.
Union Minister for Planning and Finance U Win Shein reported on the spending of ordinary expenditure and capital expenditure, following financial rules and regulations, and compilation of the amounts spent on rehabilitation tasks.
Union Minister for International Cooperation U Ko Ko Hlaing explained offers of UN agencies, ASEAN, red cross societies and INGOs to participate in relief measures, the need for non-discrimination in humanitarian aid, connection with Humanitarian Country Team, approval for the Secretary General of ASEAN as the ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance Coordinator (SG-AHAC) to view round losses and damage, and formation of On-Side Operation Coordination Centre.
Union Minister Dr Thida Oo presented reports on ways and means to declare the state of natural disaster-hit areas and terminate the declaration.
Those present at the meeting discussed emergency response in the Mocha-hit areas, repairing tasks of relevant ministries, resumption of agriculture and livestock tasks and spending of finance under the financial rules and setting the rehabilitation period.
Chief of the General Staff (Army, Navy and Air) General Maung Maung Aye reported on preparations of the Tatmadaw against the storm, transport of relief aid by Tatmadaw vessels and aircraft, selling of foodstuffs at fair prices to storm victims in Rakhine State and participation in rehabilitation tasks.
Later, the Vice-Senior General coordinated necessary measures and gave a concluding remark. — MNA/TTA
