THE second press conference on the Union government’s undertakings in the first 100 days was held in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.
The following is the brief of the ministries present at the conference.
U Tin Myint, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs said the Ministry made efforts in anti-narcotic policing, closed cases involving political activists in the courts, made efforts to tune the police force into a service provision and promoted their image including its character and essence.
The ministry boasted 4,349 arrested in 2,799 drug cases.
Meanwhile, the ministry brought 58,108 cases to court in an attempt to prevent crime.
More than 270 cases involving by political prisoners were closed.
Two heroin factories were busted and around 30 million yaba pills were confiscated, according to the minister.
175 kilograms of raw opium, 60 kilograms of heroin, 500 kilograms of ephedrine and 14 tonnes of caffeine were confescated during the first 100 days of the new government.
The minister further claimed that the Myanmar Police Force could build more trust with the people by making efforts to reduce public anxiety by ensuring transparency.
The ministry has granted 12,793 land leases in 275 villages nationwide and is currently stepping up efforts to release more village land.
The ministry also opened further public service offices nationwide and has allowed the registration of 1,043 NGOs and 148 INGOs.
Mandalay Jetty to be upgraded
Works on the construction of infrastructure to prevent erosion have been completed by the Ministry of Transport and Communications. The ministry is also seeking ways to get grant assistance from Japan to upgrade the Mandalay Jetty.
The Ministry of Transport and Communications built a 77-metre radar and installed modern machines to watch the formation of storms and weather patterns.
Myanmar Railways suspended its train services on 16 rail routes due to losses and maintained 14 routes.
Mobile Operation Center
The Ministry of Communication has finalised the agreement with Intelsat Satellite Operator for the Myanmar National Satellite Project. The ministry has also opened 4,428 mobile stations and made arrangements during the first 100 days of the government to open a further 500 GSM stations.
49 MPT brand shops have been opened in regions and states and plans are underway to open a further 20 shops.
The ministry is planning to announce its new policy for transportation sector in the near future.
Affordable housing projects
U Kyaw Lynn, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Construction said the ministry started work on the construction of two affordable apartment buildings with reinforced concrete and steel structure as a model for low-cost housing in the country on 26 May in Ottarathiri Township. An apartment in the building will costs under K10 million.
Meanwhile the ministry is making efforts to release the Myanmar National Building Code-MNBC, working together with UN-Habitat to make the MNBC law.
Collection of fees for road, bridge use at more than 160 toll gates ended
The Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement stopped the collection of road and bridge fees at more than 160 toll gates nationwide and took measures to reduce road accidents along the Yangon-Mandalay Highway.
U Soe Aung, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, said the ministry laid down five plans and implemented them during the first 100 days of the new government and, of those, three were completed while two are very near to being completed.
No danger from a natural dam caused by landslides in Chin State
The ministry took precautionary measures including a quick response to flash flooding in the case of the collapsing of the natural dam and establishing 66 emergency shelters. It built three dams to prevent the flow of silt from the natural dam in case of its collapsing.
The Emergency Operation Centre-EOC in Nay Pyi Taw was upgraded and Single Side Band-SSB machines were installed in risk areas.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement has created Help Line and Hot Line, providing 24-hour services to the people.
The ministry is currently working together with Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health and Sports to draft a youth policy which is reported to be 70 per cent complete.
Giving protection to street children and disabled persons
The ministry has finished the draft for a project providing street children and disabled persons in Yangon and Mandalay with protection, reunion with their families and rehabilitation.
Giving protection to vulnerable people in Chin State
The ministry has been in discussions with the Chin State Government to implement a project focusing on providing social security and protection to vulnerable peoples in the state. The ministry is trying to create job opportunities for young people and to give social security and protection to aged people in Chin State.
More than K270 million spent on overcoming water scarcity
The ministry spent K9.942 million from its budget and K9.455 million from the National Disasters Management Fund on supplying drinking water to people facing water scarcity due to El-Nino last summer from 17 April to 31 May. It maintained and built water storage facilities nationwide spending more than K257 million to tackle the El-Nino-induced drought.
Next, officials concerned answered questions raised by media representatives.
Regarding anti-corruption measures, U Tin Myint, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, said that the Anti-corruption Commission, chaired by U Mya Win, formed under the previous government, has performed its task of combating graft to date, adding that the Bureau of Special Investigation was responsible for investigating corruption offences under the command of the government before the commission was formed.
The special investigation agency which is currently responsible for money-laundering cases oversaw 39 cases since the ascent of the new government and 29 cases have been concluded, said the permanent secretary.
The agency has aslo investigated complaints including embezzlement and the misconduct of service personnel in accordance with the instructions of the President’s Office and has assisted the commission in investigating graft and corruption, he added.
On a question on whether there will be a special programme for fighting corruption and the Bureau of Investigation will be tasked with ant-graft operations, the permanent secretary replied that measures will be taken in accordance with the instructions of the President’s Office.
Action has been taken against graft and corruption offences by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the commission’s activities will be made known to the public at an opportune time, added the permanent secretary.
Regarding Criminal Investigation Department’s performance and alleged IS presence in Pekon, the permanent secretary responded that more arrests related to murder and rape cases were made annually and plans are underway to expose major criminal cases including murder, robbery and burglary with the use of modern equipment.
He stated that information about alleged IS presence in Pekon is false information.
Next, Police Col Zaw Win Aung, director of Administration Department of the Myanmar Police Force, said that CID exposed hard cases that drew public attentions and counterfeit note cases.
He added that 89.2 percent of major criminal cases and 91.74 percent of other cases were exposed within 100 days by Myanmar Police Force and the CID.
Regarding issuance of permits for grant lands after the 100-day plan, the permanent secretary said applying for grant lands in forest area, vacant, fallow and virgin lands, cultural and archaeological sites and pasture land cannot be allowed.
He went to say that complaints can be made over failure of authorities concerned on work procedures during the prescribed periods.
Next, Director-General U Tun Lwin Oo of the Ministry of Transport and Communications elaborated on transition of state-owned businesses in to corporations including Inland Water Transport.
Regarding suspension or rail transport services, General Manager of Myanmar Railways U Aung Win said that the MR stopped operations of 16 passenger trains that were not cost-effective and changed service routes of 14 trains, adding that K900,000 was saved from fuel consumption of 299 gallons a day.
Then, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Construction U Kyaw Lin elaborated on construction quality control, Construction Industry Development Board Law-CIDB Law and construction management regulations.
He said that CIDB Law and construction management regulations are being developed by the Ministry of Construction to ensure worksite safety and construction of buildings meeting set standards.
The ministry is seeking land plots to build low-cost residential buildings during the five-year period, said the permanent secretary, adding that the newly-built 2,200 apartments will be sold to service personnel and the people under the arrangements of the Yangon Region Government.
Regarding the Yangon-Mandalay Expressway, he said that it will be upgraded into a six-lane road during the five-year period with the help of international assistance.
The Yangon-Mandalay old road upgrading works are slated for completion in March 2018 and the Yangon-Bago road will also be upgraded into a six-lane highway, he added.
Afterwards, Permanent Secretary U Soe Aung of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement explained the provision of relief supplies to flood victims, assuring that the budget is large enough to help flood victims and the government is ready to provide more funds for recovery works.
Regarding essential supplies for Naga Special Administrative Zone, the permanent secretary said that rice bags were airlifted to the region yesterday and supplies have been transported to Lahe Township with the use of Tatmadaw helicopters.
The government, Tatmadaw and social organisations are working together in the face of disaster, he added.—Myanmar News Agency
Source: The Global New Light Of Myanmar
