KUANTAN (Nov 11): The Rural Development Ministry (KPLB) has allocated RM15.5 million under the “Desa Lestari” (Sustainable Village) project for 15 villages in Pahang, said its deputy minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad.

He said the provision of the allocation was to ensure efficient implementation of the six main economic sectors, namely services, tourism, agriculture, animal husbandry, manufacturing and retail, in the affected villages.

The project, he said, had also benefited 4,500 people in terms of job opportunities, and 1,180 others, including household heads, in terms of dividends as members of cooperatives.

“RM9.5 million in income has been generated by the 15 villages involved, with Kampung Sri Makmur in Pekan, generating the highest income of RM3.7 million from 2015 to 2021 with an average annual income of RM528,000,” he said in a statement here today.

He said Pahang received the second highest allocation under the project, which was aimed at bridging the socioeconomic gap between the urban and rural residents.

Besides the socioeconomics sector, he said, the ministry also focused on bridging the digital divide through collaboration with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission for Internet access to be expanded to the rural areas.

This will help to realise digitalisation of rural entrepreneurs, as well as encourage cooperatives under the Sustainable Village Project to market their products online through the Desamall@KPLB Programme, which is carried out with the collaboration of leading platforms such as Shopee and Lazada, he added.

Abdul Rahman also said that KPLB has equipped 191 Rural Community Centres with Internet access for the benefit of the rural communities.

Source: EdgeProp, 11 November 2022.