Maungdaw, Burma: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) of Burma provided money to the poor locals of Maungdaw Township on December 15, to use for small projects, a village elder said on condition of anonymity.
The Participatory Technology Development Committee (PTDC) members of Maungdaw Township, under the UNDP of Rangoon distributed funds to villagers at the rate of kyat 45,000 per family.
The PTDC members distributed money to the poor villagers of Maungdaw Township for poultry farming, for raising pigeons, for goat husbandry, for growing vegetables and for growing betel vine. The TPDC members provided kyat 45, 000 for each project per family.
The PTDC members of Maungdaw provided money to 30 families of the village for setting up poultry farms.
The PTDC also distributed money to Wekpran village of Phur Wut Chaung Village tract, three villages of Kawar Bill village tract, seven villages of Ngan Chaung village tract and Nwah Yon Daung village for small projects.
In September 2007, the PTDC was formed with seven members including local Village Peace and Development Council (VPDC) members and some members from Maungdaw Town. Earlier, the money was not properly distributed to the villagers and was divided among the PTDC members. However, a little money was distributed to the rural areas. This happens because there is no accountability and transparency, a source close to the PTDC said.
Besides, the PTDC members had collected money from villagers, which had been given to the villagers in 2007. They used the money for their personal needs. Last year, 13-million Kyat was sanctioned by the UNDP office of Rangoon for Maung Nama village tract of Maungdaw Township, another village elder who refused to be named said.
The committee has been formed for agriculture, livestock or other income generation activities It supports the rural poor in the target villages to increase agricultural production and productivity. The poor have been encouraged and provided with opportunities to expand their access to alternative sources of income such as live stock raising, fishing, and other farm-related economic activities.
The PTDC members of Maungdaw Township under UNDP of Rangoon have already distributed funds to 28 poor families at the rate of kyat 45,000 per family on December 2.
