Speaker of the Chin State parliament Zo Bawi said that the state government is considering promoting Paletwa and Tedim from townships to districts before the end of the current government’s term in 2020.

The move would make for three districts in each southern and northern Chin State.

“It’s better for implementing local development. If we can expand towns, development will follow after that,” Zo Bawi told Khonumthung News.

The Khumi (Khami) National Party sent an open letter to the Chin State chief minister and the state parliament speaker at the end of January asking that Paletwa Township be made a district.

The Zomi Congress for Democracy also sent a letter to State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on January 21 asking that Tedim and Tonzang townships be designated Tedim District.

Because of expected traffic and trade on a 68-mile road currently under construction in Paletwa leading to an India-backed jetty, Zo Bawi said the designation of the area as its own district makes sense.

“If this road is complete, it will be busy with foreign exports and imports. Therefore, township administration must be expanded into district level administration. At that time, Paletwa township will be automatically promoted into a district,” the parliament speaker explained.

There are currently four districts in Chin State: Falam, Hakha, Mindat, and Matupi. Matupi was designated a district around one year ago, but because of land disputes over the district office building, it is yet to be constructed.