The Vice-President spoke about the grant at a 17 February event focusing on rural areas and social economic development, held at the Yarmanya Football Stadium in Mawlamyine, Mon State.

“Of 15 states and regions, the poverty rate in Mon State is the lowest. This is very cheerful [sic],” said the Vice-President.

Dr. Sai Mauk Kham noted that, in 2005, the poverty rate in Mon State was 22 percent, and only 16 percent in 2010. The Vice-President announced that within a decade Mon State must strive to reduce the poverty rate to 11 percent, stressing that the Union government, State government and the public must work hard to reach this objective.

The Union government will provide more than 562 million kyats for 88 units of farming equipment, more than 146 million kyats for 107 motorbikes, and 5,712 million kyats for farming expenses. The funds will be distributed in an installment system and allocated for use in 10 townships across Mon State.

“In Mon State, we still do not have many [cooperative] associations, or members of a [cooperative]. Of the more than 2 million citizens of Mon State, members of a cooperative number only about 30,000; that is a very small number,” said Mon State Chief Minister U Ohn Myint.

“People in our country are afraid of cooperatives because of what happened in the past, and now their mindsets need to be changed. The people’s behaviors should also be changed. In this democratic system, we should collaborate and depend on one another. If we cannot invest, we have to collaborate with others. We have to find investment and work hard,” continued the chief minister.

Attendees of Tuesday’s rural area and social economics development event included Union Ministers U Kyaw Hsan, U Maung Myint and U Kyaw Lwin; Mon State Chief Minister U Ohn Myint; Karen State Chief Minister U Zaw Min; Vice-Ministers; State Hluttaw Chairpersons and representatives; State Minister and representatives from respective government departments; as well as cooperative teams and locals.