India hands relief material to Rakhine residents in Myanmar as per Dec'17 agreement

After helping out the Bru refugees to settle in Tripura, India has now extended relief assistance to Rakhine residents, displaced in the ongoing conflict from Myanmar. This came as a part of India’s efforts to support the socio-economic development in Myanmar. The relief provided by India to the Rakhine residents included 20,000 kits of rice, noodles, toor dal, chana dal, soya oil, chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, salt, and tarpaulin. 

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Indian Ambassador helps Myanmar 

Saurabh Kumar, the Ambassador of India to Myanmar, handed over the relief material to the government of Rakhine State in Sittwe city. This comes after a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in December 2017 between India and Mynamar for providing assistance to the socio-economic development of the Rakhine State. 

According to an official statement, the ceremony was also attended by Chief Minister of Rakhine State Nyi Pu, Social Welfare Minister of Myanmar Win Myat Aye, Deputy Minister of Social Welfare Soe Aung, and Speaker of Rakhine State Parliament San Kyaw Hla. 

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As per the MoU signed by both the countries, India had also agreed to support Mynamar for the construction of small bridges, up-gradation of roads, small power projects, livelihood activity, setting up of training centres, conservation of environmental and cultural heritage, empowerment of women and child welfare. In July 2019, India helped Mynamanr to construct 250 houses. They also helped them in building pre-schools, solar power supply, water supply, seed storage houses, incinerators in a hospital, agriculture mechanisation and roads construction. 

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India-Myanmar Industrial Training Centre 

India also showed a willingness to establish an India-Myanmar Industrial Training Centre in Rakhine State to impart skills to the youth of the State for greater employability under the agreement. Two such centres are already in operation in Pakokku and Myingyan. Under its High Impact Community Development Projects (Small Development Projects scheme), last June, the Indian government provided IT equipment to Sittwe Computer University and agriculture equipment to Rakhine State Government. 

(With ANI Inputs)

(Image Source: @IndiainMyanmar/Twitter)

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