Motorists and motorcyclists commute to work as monks collect alms, in Kratie province in late 2022. Hong Menea
Minister of Rural Development Ouk Rabun said rural communities are growing and developing, resulting in a reduction in urban migration.
He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to achieving 100 per cent access to clean water supplies and sanitation services, including an end to open defecation, in the future.
During a January 24 meeting to review the Ministry of Rural Development’s annual results of 2022 and plan for the coming year, Rabun explained that the ministry has four strategic goals.
It intends to develop physical infrastructure and communications, improve living conditions in rural communities, boost rural economies, and strengthen administrative support services.
He said the four strategic plans have contributed to changing the living conditions of people in rural areas for the better, giving them the opportunity to conduct new businesses and offer services outside of traditional agriculture.
“Rural areas are beginning to have more affordable housing, with better access to clean water and sanitation. 80 per cent of the Kingdom now has enjoys these modern services, and of course the Kingdom’s road infrastructure has improved markedly, which has had positive effects,” he added.
He said the ministry has provided basic vocational training in agriculture, handicrafts, and other small services. This has enabled many families to earn extra income, which has created harmony in many rural communities.
“Their improved livelihoods have also reduced urban migration and fewer people are attempting dangerous border crossings in search of work. These factors have transformed the lives and health of the people in the countryside. New rural roads have reduced poverty and brought much-needed progress in many regions,” he added.
Rabun encouraged public officials to work together to implement rural development policies, especially those that concerned access to clean water and sanitation, and the end of open defecation.
The 2022 review revealed that three province’s have been declared open defecation free (ODF) by the end of the year. An additional three will achieve ODF status by the end of 2023.
Ministry secretary of state Sous Kong was pleased by the ministry’s accomplishments.
“We have made significant contributions to the implementation of public financial management reform by linking our budget to national policy. We prepared a three-year rolling public investment plan from 2021 to 2023, investing almost $138 million into 25 projects,” he said.
“Public investment projects, which are funded by both bilateral and multilateral development partners, have helped accelerate rural development and continuously improve rural living standards,” he added.
He said that from 2023 to 2025, the ministry would combine its capital budget with its current budget, maintaining the gap between the annual budget and the projected three-year budget plan at eight per cent, in line with the national policy of keeping it within ten per cent.
