Measures for regional economy: PM meets MSME entrepreneurs in Mon State

Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing held meeting with the MSME entrepreneurs in Mon State on Tuesday and discussed regional economic development.

The meeting was attended by Joint secretary of the SAC Lt-Gen Ye Win Oo, Union Ministers, the Mon State Chief Minister, senior military officers and MSME entrepreneurs.

At the meeting, Mon State Chief Minister reported on implementation of MSEMs in Mon state, operation of enterprises in the industrial zones and future programs.

Later, the Chairmen of Mon State Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the State Rice Miller Association, on behalf of the State Rubber Planters and Producers Association the Chairman of the State Fishery Federation, the Chairman of Mawlamyaing Hotelier Association and the attendees reported on support for rubber industry development, substitution of solar power to reduce the use of fuel in salt production, assistance from the government for producing quality salt in local and export to abroad, implementation for river water pumping project, the needs of capital for fish breeding, development of tourism industry in the region, construction materials with reasonable price, loans for entrepreneurs in Mawlamyaing industrial zone at low interest rate and weaving industry and raw materials for melting plants.

In response to the report, the Union Minister discussed efforts for more economic development in the region and assistance from the relevant ministries, providing loans from the government with low interest, providing assistance by forming Cooperative syndicates for increasing income for rural people and rural region development, fulfilling the needs of farmers by contract farming system, technical assistance and development of export products.

After that, the Prime Minister said that a country needs to have good economic drive, political and defense power. As the strength of the nation is within the local, domestic production based on agriculture and breeding is being prioritized.  Despite the rise in commodity prices due to the outbreak of the COVID-19, there was no shortage of food products as Myanmar is an agricultural country. Even in industrialized countries, MSME enterprises account for about 90 percent of the income of the industrial sector.In the domestic manufacturing industry, MSME enterprises play the most important role so that it is encouraging for the development of MSMEs.

There are production, sale, service and other task in MSME and the production is prioritized. The Prime Minister stressed the needs on the use of raw materials produced from the State and local in carrying out production process, production of products based on agriculture,cultivation of high quality paddy strains and hybrid strains, efforts for high yield of rubber,   production of leathers, shoes and tyres from rubber industry for the local demand, plan for construction of a port in Mawlamyaing region and an international airport with the aim of boosting tourism industry in Mawlamyaing and boosting commodity flows via aviation route, measures for manufacturing of pulps as Mon State is abundant of wood and bamboos, production of high yield crops by using modern technique than the conventional agricultural method and production from orchard farming.

He also highlighted on reducing fuel consumption through solar power generation in the state, efforts for implementation of transportation system by using electric vehicles to reduce fuel consumption and the sufficiency of foodstuff. He also pointed out that the government is endeavouring for education promotion in the country and Mon State encourages education and has won the first in the matriculation examination.

The Industrial, Agriculture and Livestock high schools will be opened in the district and the students can attend these schools after passing KG+9. They will continue to attend universities and vocational sciences after passing these high schools. He also stressed the needs on human resource development in the state, tourism industry development, beautifying of the state to attract more visitors and combating and control of illegal trading.

Later, the Prime Minister cordially greeted MSME entrepreneurs in Mon State. He then studied the display of foodstuff, personal goods, industrial products, regional handicrafts, clothes and traditional medicines and asked about market situation.