Nay Pyi Taw August 17
A meeting on development of Nay Pyi Taw was held at the State Administration Council Chairman’s Office in Nay Pyi Taw this afternoon, with an address delivered by Chairman of the State Administra-tion Council Prime Minister of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Union of Myanmar Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
Also present were SAC mem-bers Admiral Tin Aung San and Lt-Gen Moe Myint Tun, Union ministers U Win Shein, U Aung Naing Oo, U Tin Htut Oo, U Hla Moe, U Khin Maung Yi, U Aung Than Oo, Dr Charlie Than, Dr Nyunt Pe, Dr Myo Thein Kyaw, U Shwe Lay, Chairman of Nay Pyi Taw Council Dr Maung Maung Naing and officials.
In his keynote speech, the Senior General said a government has to development the country in the economic and social sectors. Development underta-kings have been started in Nay Pyi Taw, which is the capital city. Later region/state wise development undertakings will follow. Nay Pyi Taw was inaugurated on 17 February 2006. The city is now 15 years and six months old now. Yangon, which was the former government seat of Myanmar, is now the commercial hub. Mandalay, which was the former royal seat, is now the capital of upper Myanmar and an economic centre. Nay Pyi Taw needs progress and characteristics of a capital city as it is now the government seat. In the past, Nay Pyi Taw lacked some of the characteristics, but now it has the required characteristics to a certain extent. But, efforts must be made for the city to become more perfect and the model capital of the country.
Nay Pyi Taw is located on 2,725 square miles of area formed with five townships with the title of Thiri in addition to Tatkon, Pyinmana and Lewe townships which is home to some 1.148 million. Some 30 percent of the people reside in urban area and about 70 percent in rural area. They are engaged in agriculture and livestock breeding tasks. Roughly, there are 80-90 raining days per year with some 50 inches of rainfall. Remaining over 200 days are sunny days with favourable weather at 10 degree centigrade in minimum and 40 degree centigrade in maximum. A total of 10,600 acres of horticultural farms, 176,400 farmlands and 127,900 acres of croplands are located in Nay Pyi Taw Council. Regarding the livestock breeding, local people breed buffalos, cows, pigs, chicken, goats and fish. University of Agriculture, University of Veterinary Science and University of Forestry are primary university institutions in Nay Pyi Taw Council Area in addition to institute of agriculture, government technical institute and technical high school.
In the time of the State Peace and Development Council and the tenure of President U Thein Sein’s first term of democratic government, mango cultivation zone and livestock breeding zones were allotted in Nay Pyi Taw Council Area. Some 700 acres of land were permitted for livestock breeding sector in Tatkon Township to operate breeding tasks. Hence, relevant departments need to scrutinize the remaining areas of agriculture and livestock breeding tasks in line with the disciplines.
Nay Pyi Taw Council Area is teeming with rivers and creeks, located between eastern and western mountain ranges. As it is a fertile region, the University of Agriculture and research farms are established. Due to fertile soil and geographical conditions, agriculture and livestock breeding can be operated all the year round. As it is a location for University of Agriculture and University of Veterinary Science, it is necessary to have high yield of crops. These farms need to use drop and sprinkler systems in water consumption. To do so, hydropower is being generated. Renewable energy such as solar power should be used and electricity should be generated at existing dams and reservoirs. Sufficient generation of electricity can contribute to agriculture and livestock breeding tasks in addition to other works.
Industries based on agriculture and livestock must be established. Like in Meiktila, Pyawbwe and Yamethin, Nay Pyi Taw Council area is also growing cotton. Based on raw cotton, the council area will be able to produce textile and establish garment factories. It is necessary to set up industries based on agriculture and livestock. With continue electricity supply, all businesses related to electricity can be run. Therefore, systematic works are necessary in urban planning.
As Nay Pyi Taw is the seat of the government, human resources must be turned out to help develop the administrative machinery. It can also be made a city of education. Establishment of schools and universities must be considered to teach economics, management, justice, and legal and administrative affairs. Universities must be built in good environments. Yangon University is the best in terms of location in Asian countries. So, correct choice of location is necessary to build universities.
In implementing city beautifying tasks, basic characteristics must be considered for its beauty and prosperity. In international relations arena, Nay Pyi Taw must be central so systematic management is required. Nay Pyi Taw International Airport was built after cargo system had been considered. In establishing agriculture and livestock-based industries also, places must be selected for easy transport of goods to the airport. The Nay Pyi Taw Council area has been targeted to house up to 20 million people. So it is necessary to plan all necessary things in urban planning such as building circular railroads, bus routes and electric bus roots and underground train routes. Nay Pyi Taw Railway Station needs to become central in the whole country with focus on aviation transport. The roads in Nay Pyi Taw must be upgraded.
For staff housing development, wards must be reconstituted and platforms repaired.
In ordinary residential wards, tall buildings, wide roads and parks must be included. Nay Pyi Taw must be an ideal of agriculture, livestock breeding, education, economy, factories, cleanliness and traffic enforcement. Likewise, Nay Pyi Taw has the Uppatasanti Pagoda, the Thata Thattaha Pagoda, Maha Thakya Ranthi Pagoda as well as the Mara Wizaya sitting marble Buddha Image under construction, the National Races Village, the Fountain Park and the Zoo. But, it is necessary to construct more buildings like a tower to attract international tourists. With a rapidly developing world, all must cooperate in ensuring sustainable development of Nay Pyi Taw Council area.
Then, Chairman of Nay Pyi Taw Council Dr Maung Maung Naing reported on salient points of Nay Pyi Taw Union Territory, land utilization, situation of agriculture and livestock breeding, local food sufficiency, domestic and foreign investment, implementation of industrial zones, electricity gene-ration and distribution, measures taken for development of urban amenities and sectors required to pay attention.
Afterwards, participant members of the SAC and union ministers reported on implementation of tasks on respective sectors.
After hearing the reports, the Senior General said that it is necessary to take pragmatic fundamentals into consideration to reflect the reality of the country in urban planning for the development of the country, to take measures to open institutions, colleges and universities to create Nay Pyi Taw a model city for agriculture, livestock breeding and education sectors and to improve the façade of basic education schools and pass rates and to find out ways and means to prevent traffic jams when trains, electric trains and electric cars are operated with the increasing population in Nay Pyi Taw in the future.
Then, the Senior General delivered concluding remarks, saying the development of Nay Pyi Taw is being focused as a model city and it is necessary to take measures for development of respective states and regions and to establish smokeless industries so that cities are neat and clean. In doing so, electricity supply is essential and it is necessary to operate electric buses and circular trains as well as subway networks for urban development. Measures must be taken to run electric buses and cars and extension of them in the entire country must be taken into consideration. It is necessary to place emphasis on raising the living standards of the residents in Nay Pyi Taw as development of villages and nurturing intellectuals are important in Nay Pyi Taw. Therefore, emphasis is placed on raising the education standards. Only when people are educated, can skilled labourers with higher ideology be nurtured.
Nay Pyi Taw Council is required to monitor whether projects are really implemented at sites allocated for them. To fulfil the need of skilled labourers, it is necessary to conduct certificate courses and to create the market for local products at home. In construction of roads, it is necessary to meet the standards accepted by the international community and to take extensions of roads in the future while shoulders of road should also meet international standards.
It is also vital to exert efforts to prevent the reduction of forest coverage in Nay Pyi Taw so that the climate is temperate. It is also essential to replant trees where appropriate. It is necessary to implement agriculture and livestock breeding in agriculture and livestock breeding zones in accordance with rules and regulations, to implement modern mechanized farming, to fulfill the needs of farmers and to make Nay Pyi Taw a model for agriculture and livestock breeding. Water, soil, seeds and techniques are essential in agriculture and it is important for the government to provide techniques to utilize natural fertilizers to farmers.
It is needed to form a department of livestock breeding research as soon as possible.
Plans are to be made to be able to teach agricultural engineering subjects at the university concerned. Plans are to be made to hold seeds show and cattle show, and in the breeding sector, beef cattle and dairy cattle are to be mainly farmed as well. It is necessary to make efforts to achieve success in systematically farming gayal, also known as mithun, in Chin State until the cattle can be exported.
Only if Nay Pyi Taw is a developed, clean and beautiful capital, travellers can be attracted. It is to focus on carrying out the tasks to be able to hold international events only in Nay Pyi Taw. Only when the home is pleasant, there will be visitors. Therefore, it is needed to make efforts to ensure the best communication system through centering Nay Pyi Taw. Besides, special consideration must be given to ensure a good communication system, and it is necessary to be an epitome regarding traffic and vehicle rules. It is essential to implement plans for enabling electricity vehicles to run in Nay Pyi Taw. Efforts must be made to ensure exercising a good postal system as well as smooth, speedy circulation of mail. It is required for ministries concerned to take field tours of inspection in order that prawn and fish could be farmed in Upper Paunglaung Dam. Tasks are to be carried out for building railway museums in Nay Pyi Taw and Yangon. It is required for all of us to consider from all sides to make Nay Pyi Taw to become a green, clean and smart city.