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Yangon, April 22 - Member of the State Peace and Development Council Lt-Gen Khin Maung Than of the Ministry of Defence and party, accompanied by Chairman of Rakhine State Peace and Development Council Commander of Western Command Maj-Gen Maung Oo, visited the Gangawdaw Pagoda in Kyaukpyu on 19 April morning.

At the briefing hall of Minpyin Radar Camp, 15 miles and four furlongs from Kyaukpyu, officials of the Settlement and Land Records Department reported on location of Minpyin Village on the sea shore in Kyaukpyu Township and utilization of land resources with the use of charts. Lt-Gen Khin Maung Than gave necessary instructions.

Lt-Gen Khin Maung Than and party met villagers of Minpyin Village and discussed tasks to be carried out for improving education, health, social and economic sectors for the development of the village. They also met with villagers of Konbaunggyi, Konbwe, Taungyin, Wettawpyin Ywama, Wettawpyin Konbaung and Kyeedwe villages of Zinchaung Village-tract, departmental personnel, members of social organizations and officials at Zinchaung affiliated basic education high school of Zinchaung Village-tract in Kyaukpyu and dealt with matters on the development of the village-tract.

Then, Lt-Gen Khin Maung Than discussed the projects being implemented by the government for building up a peaceful, modern and developed nation, conditions on implementation of border areas development projects, 24 special development regions projects and the five rural development tasks for proportionate and balanced development of all parts of the nation. He spoke of the need for local authorities and local people to do suitable businesses and to extend cultivation of pepper and other suitable crops in addition to agriculture and livestock breeding tasks for development of respective regions, measures to be taken for reduction of crimes, prevalence of law and order and community peace. He called on local authorities to make field trips to the grassroots level for all-round development of respective regions in cooperation with local residents. He also urged local populace to participate in regional development tasks hand in hand with local authorities.

Lt-Gen Khin Maung Than and party inspected progress of village-to-village roads in Kyaukpyu Township. They then inspected construction of a new two-storey building of Zayatpyin Village-tract BEHS, Laydaung Station, Yanbye Township, and left necessary instructions. Next, they visited the Sibinthaya Pagoda in Laydaung Station (Wakyeinpyin) and then donated offertories to Thayetcho Village Sayadaw U Sumana and members of the Sangha.

Then, cash donations presentation ceremony for the pagoda followed at the pagoda. People of Laydaung Station presented K 2 million; Commander Maj-Gen Maung Oo and wife, K 600,000; U Maung Yee-Daw Nu Mya Yee and family of Zayatpyin Village and U Maung Than Shwe and brothers and sisters of Thayetcho Village, K 120,000 each; U Ko Lay of Laydaung Station, Daw Yee Yee Myaing and family and proprietors of rice mills and edible oil mills of Zayatpyin Village-tract, K 100,000 each; U Maung Bo San and seven wellwishers of Thayetcho Village, U Aung Myint-Daw Yee Yee San and family of Thayetcho Village, U Aung Tun Kyan-Daw Lon Sein and family of Asheimaw Village, U Hsan Win-Daw Thi Thi Myaing of Kontan Village and teachers and staff of basic education schools in Laydaung Station, K 80,000 each; the variety dances committee of holding Htidaw hoisting ceremony of the pagoda and owners of trawlers in Laydaung and Taungup, K 60,000 each; owners of rice mills and fishery entrepreneurs in Thayetcho Village-tract, K 50,000; and others totalling K 3.97 million. Lt-Gen Khin Maung Than and Commander Maj-Gen Maung Oo and departmental heads accepted the donations.

Then, Lt-Gen Khin Maung Than met rural people in the villages of the station at the pagoda and discussed matters on regional development tasks. Speaking on the occasion, Lt-Gen Khin Maung Than said that due to the collective efforts and generous donation of departmental personnel, wellwishers and social organizations in Laydaung Station in Yanbye Township, Wakyeinpyin Sibinthaya Pagoda with 38 feet and nine inches in height has been renovated in a short period. Moreover, tasks for renovation of 75 feet long, 83 feet wide and 108 feet high Gandakutitaik will be completed soon. So, such successful renovation of the pagoda bears witness to improvement of economic standard and united efforts of local people. Beefing up the already-gained economic improvement and solidarity, the local people are to make efforts with added momentum to achieve greater success in economic, education, health and social sectors, he said.

The government has been implementing the three major development projects for ensuring equitable development of all parts of the nation including border areas and rural regions. In this regard, he called for greater efforts to be made in harmony for successfully implementing the five rural development tasks.

Lt-Gen Khin Maung Than and party inspected Laydaung Station Hospital and self-reliant radio-telephone exchange and left necessary instructions. Lt-Gen Khin Maung Than also inspected Laydaung Creek Bridge and gave instructions on maintenance of the bridge for durability. The 145 feet long and 12 feet wide self-reliant bridge is built across Laydaung Creek at a cost of K 20 million by local people with assistance rendered by Kyaukpyu District Peace and Development Council.

Lt-Gen Khin Maung Than and party inspected affiliated BEHS in Kyauktwe Village, Zabardon Village-tract in the township and left necessary instructions.

In the evening, they visited Dekkhinayama Wihara Pariyatti Monastery in Ward 4 and Ponnataung Monastery in Ward 2 in the town and paid reverence and donated offertories to the presiding Sayadaws and members of the Sangha.