Mon Literature and Culture Association Objects to Budget Allocation in Mon State
By NETWORK MEDIA GROUP (NMG)
Thursday, November 6, 2019
The head of the Mon Literature and Culture Association has criticized the way in which funds or ethnic literature conservation have been allocated in Mon State in the coming fiscal year.
The Mon State government has a budget of 400 million kyat for the area of focus during the 2019-2020 financial year. According to their plan, they have designated 100 million kyat to each of four ethnic groups they recognize in the state: Burman, Karen, Mon and Pa-O.
“The budget allocation should be based on the ethnic populations, concerning the conservation of ethnic literature and cultural heritage in Mon State,” Dr. Min Kyi Win, the chairperson of the Mon Literature and Culture Association, told NMG.
His argument is that since Mon people make up the ethnic majority in Mon State, they should receive a greater proportion of the funding available.
“They should respect this,” he added.
Ethnic cultural funding was not among the priorities listed by Mon State’s chief minister Dr. Aye Zan in response to questions around the budget.
“During the 2019-2020 fiscal year, the Mon State government will focus on better transportation, getting electricity, urban and rural development, getting clean drinking water, and disaster prevention,” he said.
Dr. Aye Zan described the funding as systematically decided, with a focus on the development of the state, its economy, and raising the living standards of its residents.
The Mon State government has drawn up 14 prioritized projects for the coming financial year in relation to the sectors that the chief minister outlined.
