SHAH ALAM, 7 Feb: The Selangor Government has allocated RM50 million to finance rural development projects by focusing on projects that can increase the income the village communities in the state.
The project, which was launched in September last year, began by forming a paper-making group among residents of traditional villages and Indian village communities led by respective village heads and monitored by village chiefs and state government agencies.
The brainstorming session to draft the working papers was held at the Silver Jubilee Hall at the Selangor State Government Secretary’s (SUK) Building followed by the presentation of the work papers with the Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.
Abdul Khalid said that Kajang was chosen as the pilot for the implementation of the project to lift the economic levels of rural communities for the success of the plan.
“The state government hopes that the project initiated by the villagers themselves will make everyone proud. I, together with Excos and officers of the State Economic Planning Unit (UPEN) will go to Kajang to see the development of this project,” he said at a meeting with Village Heads from the whole of Selangor at the Selangor Chief Minister’s Official Residence yesterday.
In addition to increasing income through this project, the state government also choose Kajang as a pioneer in efforts to provide skills training to youth from rural communities so that they can earn an income that is above the poverty line.
“There are still youth in villages that do not get good jobs due to academic qualification or limited employment opportunities. Therefore, I ask each village chief to give five names of youth under 27 for us to provide skills training in becoming plumbers or electricians.
“When they graduate, they will be placed at apartments in Selangor that need a labour force with and income of no less than RM1,500 a month. We hope that this effort can produce skilled workforce anywhere,” he said.
