Over MMK 427 million has been transferred to the Union Government because the Social Welfare Department could not directly contact over 9000 people who are eligible for cash aid program for pregnant women and infants due to clashes in northern Arakan State, minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr Win Myat Aye said.

The cash allowance couldn’t be provided for pregnant women and children under two years old in the first quarter of 2018-19 financial years in Arakan State’s eight townships due to security risks in the region, the minister in the Amyotha Hluttaw session on 29 August.

The cash allowance will be provided for those who have to take shelter in refugee camps through respective authorities from the General Administrative Department, the minister said.

The ministry has already arranged the allowance for 111, 892 people from 16 townships in Arakan State for the second and third quarters of the 2018-19 financial year, he added.

According to the figures of the department, 370 people from Rathedaung Township, 1990 people from Kyauktaw Township, 670 people from Maungdaw Township, 3834 from Minbya Township, 408 from Mrauk-U Township, 1783 from Buthidaung Township, 9 from Ponnagyun Township and 431 from Myebon Township could not be provided the allowance.

Daw Ma Hla Phyu, a pregnant woman from Kyauktaw Township’s Pyinnya Wa village, is now taking refuge in Myat Hle IDP camp in Ponnagyun Township. She registered in April for the cash allowance, but she has not been provided the aid so far, she said.

“I registered when staff collected name lists in the camp. It was since April. But, I haven’t received the allowance. I want to get it quickly because we have so many difficulties here,” Daw Ma Hla Phyu said.