"A CASH-FOR-WORK programme will be launch-ed to provide jobs in 2,500 villages in Myanmar under its Covid-19 Economic Response Plan (CERP). Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Ministry's Rural Development Department director, U Zarni Min, said 25 billion kyat had been put aside for the programme, according to The Myanmar Times. Zarni said the project was one of two to be carried out by the department through CERP. "Some people lost their jobs due to the pandemic. They need money. "This project will provide financial support to the unemployed who participate in development projects launched in their villages." He said villagers would help build basic infrastructure in the villages in exchange for income. A sum of 10 million kyat will be distributed to each village and about 120,000 households are expected to benefit from it. The project period will take about 3½ months until September. Townships will be selected based on those with the highest Multidimensional Poverty Index and with a high number of workers returning from overseas. The villages will be chosen based on the severity of road conditions, safety for trade, those which suffered the most damage from Covid-19 and those with potential for agriculture, livestock and aquaculture businesses. The other project launched earlier by the department will see 41 billion kyat distributed as loans to 1,700 villages under CERP..."