World Bank to help develop Chin State’s Kanpetlet

19 September 2013: The World Bank said development projects in Kanpetlet township of Chin State will start in October this year.

Daw Lei Yin Win, In-charge of Project Information, said, according to Mizzima, the World Bank had already carried out survey in the Chin township in September.

She said the projects aim to repair infrastuctures such as roads, bridges and schools based on consultation with residents in the first year of 2013-2014, which will be followed by constructing news buildings afterwards.

Local communities will form a committee that is entrusted with the tasks of identifying areas of development and implementing the projects in line with plans drafted by themselves.

The Rural Development Department of the Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Rural Development will be in charge of the program called ‘the National Community Driven Development Project’.

Late last year, the World Bank had been criticised for ‘not taking sufficient time’ to consult with local communities in its development projects.

According to the World Bank’s own definition of ‘Community Driven Development’, community participation and decision-making is crucial in every step of the process.

The World Bank’s failure to uphold this principle in other countries, such as Thailand and Indonesia, had brought more disadvantages than advantages to affected communities.#