The 18th-day meeting of the Pyithu Hluttaw yesterday replied to seven questions on the road paving, farmland, establishment of two check gates and resumption of dam projects.
Regarding the question raised by Daw Khin Than Myint from the Ngaputaw Constituency, on whether there are plans to upgrade the Labutta (Kyaukpyalay)-Thongwa-Ottwin-Hteikhson Road in Ngaputaw Township into an all-weather road, Union Minister for Construction U Myo Thant replied that, during the 2026-2027 financial year, the section between Mileposts 23/1 and 23/5.5, located between Yaypawgyi Village and Thekkethaung Village, will be upgraded into a 12-footwide asphalt road over a distance of 4.5 furlongs using Union budget. The severely damaged sections of the road between Yaypawgyi Village and Ottwin Village, which experience the highest traffic volume, will be repaired in phases on a priority basis using the 2026-2027 maintenance budget. Priority sections will also continue to be implemented in the following financial year.
The Union minister clarified that the Hinngokepin – Wedaung-Padaukhin road is managed by the Bago Region government, responding to an enquiry from Ottwin Constituency MP U Win Myint. The road consists of one mile of concrete pavement, two miles and three furlongs of gravel road, six furlongs of hard road, and eight miles and three furlongs of earth road, with a total length of 12 miles and four furlongs. Arrangements are being made to put in the budget of the Bago Region government for these roads to be upgraded step by step, starting from the 2027-2028 financial year.
For the query from Myanaung Constituency MP U Aung Win Swe on whether there are plans to pave the Kanaung-Tangasone section of the Kanaung-Inpin Road in Myanaung Township with concrete, Union Minister U Myo Thant replied that the Kanaung-Inpin Road is under the management of the Ayeyawady Region government. Kanaung-Saphyusu (Tangasone) section is a gravel road measuring five miles and five furlongs in length. Starting from the 2027-2028 financial year, the construction of a 12-foot-wide concrete road along this section will be proposed for inclusion in the Ayeyawady Region government’s annual budget. The project will be implemented in phases, subject to the availability of funds.
Deputy Minister Dr Ye Tint Tun for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation replied to the query from Pobbathiri Constituency MP U Hla Swe. He said that the Farmland Management Committees of Ottarathiri Township and District have not yet been able to issue Form-7 certificates for the nine villages located within the Moeswe, Thayettaw, and Mingon village-tracts because these areas still fall within protected land areas. However, Form-7 certificates have already been issued for farmland outside that area, including 2,890 acres in three villages of Thayet Taw village tract, 1,830 acres in eleven villages of Taungnyo village-tract and 2,164 acres in ten villages of Mingon village-tract, to talling 66,884 acres.
When removing the nine villages of Ottarathiri township from the list of forest reserve, it needs to be uniform with the land-related departments, and so it will take time, as GPS boundary points must be re-surveyed, maps must be georeferenced and digitized using GIS software, and accurate coordinate data must be verified. Moreover, if revisions are to be made to the original work already completed, the Nay Pyi Taw Council and the relevant ministries must first submit the matter to the Office of the President for policy approval. Upon receiving approval, the ministry will proceed in accordance with the prescribed procedures.
He added that Nay Pyi Taw Council will have to submit to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation to issue and amend the 617.683 acres of nine villages in Ngalaik forest reserve with the newly measured 684.17 acres. Once approval is granted, the successive levels of the Farmland Management Committees will be able to proceed with issuing Form-7 Land Use Certificates under the Farmland Law and rules.
Regarding the enquiry from Kawhmu Constituency MP U Aung Myo Than on whether there are plans to construct two sluice gates (check gates) to prevent flooding of monsoon paddy fields in Thaminchan, Tatike, and Thayet village-tracts in Kawhmu Township, Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation U Bo Bo Kyaw stated that a location has been identified for constructing the Pakauk Check Gate to protect more than 2,000 acres of monsoon paddy fields from flooding and to enable expansion of 250 acres of summer paddy cultivation.
He added that the proposed site for the check gate was inspected on the ground together with village administrators and farmers. Accordingly, funding required for the construction of the Pakauk checkpoint will be submitted in the 2027-2028 financial year budget of the regional government, and implementation will depend on budget availability.
He also replied to the question of U Myint Zaw Lin from Pyu Constituency, saying the Kunchaung Dam on the Kunchaung in Pyu Township was originally constructed in 2012 by the Department of Hydropower Implementation to generate 60 MW of electricity using three 20 MW turbines. The water released from the dam was intended to support irrigation for about 35,000 acres in the Kyauktaga Township to increase crop production, and the Kunchaung Dam and irrigation system were implemented starting in the 2011-2012 financial year by the Department of Irrigation and Water Utilization Management.
He further explained that by 2014-2015, 8.41 per cent of the Kunchaung diversion weir project had been completed. The project was approved for implementation with an Indian loan, but both the consultancy and loan agreements have since expired. It has now been included in the 2026-2031 five-year plan and the 2027-2028 stateowned investment programme. Construction is scheduled to resume from the 2027-2028 financial year, subject to the availability of funds.
Regarding the question raised by Dr Htein Win from Kyaunggon Constituency, on how to manage and restore natural streams and waterways in the Ayeyawady Region that have become silted and degraded, including the Ngawun embankment, Panhlaing embankment, seawater-freshwater sluice gates, and island protection embankments, the Deputy Minister stated that the region currently has eight major flood protection embankments, 22 island protection embankments, 15 saltwater barrier embankments, 19 other minor embankments, with a total of 64 embankments and 209 water gates protecting more than 1.7 million areas. He further explained that the major embankments, including Ngawun, Ayeyawady-Hinthada, east Ayeyawady, Myanaung, Kyangin, Nyaungdon island, Tawa-Palay-Kokkowa, and Maubin island embankments, were built about 140 years ago, while saltwater barrier embankments and other flood protection embankments were constructed about 40 years ago.
Maintenance and reconstruction of these embankments, islands, and saltwater barriers are being carried out based on available funding and priority needs. Dredging of silted waterways is being implemented annually to reduce flooding risks. In the 2026-2027 financial year, the plan includes 141 embankment repair projects, 40 sluice gate repair projects, and 67 drainage excavation projects.
Dr Htein Win from Kyaunggon Constituency tabled a motion to form a national population and development commission, and U Maung Maung Soe from Thaboung Constituency seconded it.
The Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker sought approval from the Hluttaw and urged those who want to debate that motion to register.
The Pyithu Hluttaw will continue its 19th-day meeting on 6 July.
MNA/ KTZH
#GlobalNewLightOfMyanmar