In striving for the economic development of the nation and people, the government has been putting into motion the following objectives:

· Development of agriculture as the base and all-round development of other sectors of the economy as well,

· Proper revolution of the market-oriented economic system,

· Development of the economy initiating participation in terms of technical know-how and investments from sources inside the country and abroad,

· The initiative to shape the national economy must be kept in the hands of the State and the national people.

Regarding the economic sector, the National Convention has adopted basic principles. They are:

(1) the economic system of the State is the market-oriented economic system

(2) the State allows all economic forces such as national and regional organizations, cooperative societies, joint-venture organizations, and private sector to engage in businesses for the national economic development

(3) the State will prevent any individual or organization from monopolizing the market or dictating prices calculated to infringe healthy competition in businesses and to injure the interests of the people

Necessary measures must cover all the parts of the nation to ensure equitable development of the living standard of the entire national people. So, the Union government has to lay down economic policies, promulgate necessary laws, and draw and implement plans.

1. Economy

2. Commerce

3. Cooperatives

4. Corporations, boards, enterprises, companies and partnerships

5. Imports and exports, and control of their quality

6. Hotels and lodging houses, and

7. Tourism in the Union Legislative List.

What about those in the Region or State Legislative List, Bagyi?

With regard to the economic sector, the legislative power to enact laws on:

(1) Economic activities carried out in a region or state in accordance with the law enacted by the Pyidaungsu

(2) Trade activities carried out in a region or state in accordance with the law enacted by the Pyidaungsu, and

(3) Cooperative activities carried out in a region or state in accordance with the law enacted by the Pyidaungsu are embodied in the Region of State Legislative List Power is to be vested in respective regional authoritative bodies across the nation to be able to implement administrative proceedings in line with the law the Union promulgates.

The Pyidaungsu Hluttaw that has the power to enact laws covering the whole country comprises members of respective region or state Hluttaw. So, they have the right to make proper suggestions region or state-wise.

I see. The Union will enact laws that are in force across the nation in order to avert the state of variety in some matters. And the Region or State government should implement the proceedings in accordance with the enacted laws. When there occur extraordinary situations in a region or state, members of respective Hluttaws have the right to submit proposals and hold discussions at the session of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw. Then, the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw will have to assess the submitted matters and make a proper decision.

Regarding the agriculture, the National Convention has adopted a detailed basic principle “The State shall provide technologies, investments, machinery, and raw materials as far as it can to transform the nation from traditional farming into mechanized farming”.

Regarding the over 167 million acres of the entire Union, only when the highest legislative bodies of the Union enact proper laws through discussions on land administration, will there be suitable proportion equality of farmland throughout the country.

Regarding the agricultural and livestock breeding sector, the legislative power to enact laws on

(1) land administration

(2) reclamation of vacant, fallow and virgin lands

(3) settlement and land records

(4) survey

(5) dams, embankments and agricultural water obtainment administered by the Union

(6) meteorology, hydrology and seismic survey

(7) registration

(8) mechanized farming

(9) agricultural research

(10) chemical fertilizer and insecticide

(11) marine fisheries livestock breeding, prevention, treatment of animal diseases and research are embodied in the Union Legislative List.

The points on the agricultural and livestock breeding sector in the Region or State Legislative List for vesting power are:

(1) agriculture

(2) prevention and control of pests

(3) systematic use of chemical fertilizer and systematic production of inorganic fertilizer

(4) agricultural loans and savings

(5) dams, embankments, lakes, ditches and obtainment of agricultural water, for which the Region or State has the right to manage

(6) fresh water fisheries, and livestock breeding and tendering systematically in accordance with the law enacted by the Union.

In future, of the dams, embankments, lakes and ditches the government has constructed, there will be dams and water supply projects for which the Union will be solely vested with the power to take administrative measures. Besides that, there will be more construction projects to be implemented and administered in future. Therefore, dams, embankments and agricultural water supply projects for which the Pyidaungsu has the power to administer, and dams, embankments and agricultural water supply projects for which the Region or State has the power to administer are embodied in both Legislative Lists.

The government is effectively applying advanced agricultural methods instead of conventional agricultural methods for boosting agricultural production with a view to ensuring the development of the agricultural sector such as:

(1) installation of machinery in production of the agricultural produce for ploughing fields, harvesting crops, and winnowing agricultural produce,

(2) distribution of farm machinery purchased from local and foreign markets to farmers

(3) innovation of farm implements suitable for Myanma agricultural works

(4) manufacturing farm implements suitable for Myanmar agricultural works and distribution of them to farmers

(5) reclamation of new lands with the use of machinery for extended cultivation

(6) tapping of underground water sources for cultivation of crops

We people have been witnessing such prudent tasks. It’s encouraging that the Myanma Industrial Development Committee has come into existence and industrial zones have been established across the nation under the supervision of respective regional industrial bodies for transition to the mechanized farming through expeditious installation of modern machinery in the farmland.

The government has taken all necessary stages to continue to accelerate the already-achieved development momentum in the State’s agricultural sector in future. So, I’m sure greater success will be achieved in the drive for domestic food security, boosting export of goods, and distributing necessary raw materials to local factories and mills.

When the Union lays down agricultural policies and projects for the entire nation, respective regions and states will have to closely supervise their agricultural tasks. Detailed basic principles are being adopted to be harmonious in implementing such agricultural tasks.