Chin state blessed with natural resources

Chin state blessed with natural resources

Published on Saturday, 17 August 2013 17:19

Mindat township in Chin State where mineral resources have been found (Photo - Aung Zaw Tun/EMG)

A regional minister from the Chin State has urged the central government to reconsider its environmental policy for his area and give higher priority to unemployment.

Almost all the townships of Myanmar's western state of Chin have minerals and other natural resources,  said Kyaw Nyein, regional minister for forestry and mining.

"Our Chin state has nine townships under three districts. Except Htantalan township, eight other townships are found to have natural resources. We have demanded the union government to do that business, he added.

According to the Chin state government, companies did offer to extract those natural resources but this was rejected by the central government. 

"The central government does not allow us to do such business on the grounds that mining can cause destruction to the forests. But a lot of people in our state have very few job opportunities," the minister said. 

Chin state has long been the poorest region in Myanmar and its people are out of work. The government said Chin state's population has decreased because more local people have gone abroad for work and moved to areas of the country for their earning. 

Chin state now mainly relies on agriculture.    

Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2013/08/18/chin-state-blessed-with-natural-resources/