Poverty reduction centre gets a makeover.

Poverty reduction centre gets a makeover.

The deposed Thai Rak Thai government's Poverty Reduction Centre will be transformed into the Rural Areas Development Agency, to promote

the sufficiency economy, cabinet decided. Netpreeya Chumchaiyo, assistant to the government spokesman, said the agency would fight

poverty and develop rural areas in accordance with the principle of the sufficiency economy.

The centre will report to the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) instead of the Interior Ministry. It will be chaired by Gen Sonthi

Boonyaratkalin, the Isoc director, she said.

The centre will propose poverty-reduction schemes to the cabinet and then implement approved schemes.

The body's poverty eradication projects will be based on the sufficiency economy. The centre will encourage contributions from state

enterprises and the private sector.

The agency will also work on education and public services for the poor, Mrs Netpreeya said.

Bangkok Post
Thursday January 04, 2007