Last-minute pensioners apply for flats and plots

24 December 2015
Last-minute pensioners apply for flats and plots
A group of pensioners at a government pension office in Yangon on June 30, 2011. Photo: Mizzima

More than 500 pensioners were waiting in line at Gate No. 4 of the Yangon Region Government Office on Tuesday to submit flat and plot applications.The Yangon Region Government office distributed application forms, which cost 1,000 kyat.
Distributing flats and plots was authorized recently by the Yangon Region Government. The deadline for applications was December 22, but an official with the General Administration Department who managed and controlled the queue said that they did not know on what date the announcement for new flats and plots was made.
A policeman who was posted at Gate No. 4 said, “Applicants have come here to submit their applications for the past month. I think the people here today just learned about it. Today is the last date so the crowd is large and anxious.”
A war veteran pensioner, Pyae Sone, told Mizzima he came at the last minute because was he had just learned about the flats.
“I came here after seeing the announcement on the Internet. We learned that today is the last date for applications. We don’t know where these plots are or who authorizes it, but we’re here because we want a plot.”
A retired school teacher said they had no notice about the availability of the plots. If the government had notified people sooner, he said, people would not have to come all at once at the last minute.
The application form stated only “Shwepyithar” low-cost housing and did not mention the location of the plots.
A pensioner who retired from the Navy, said, “We heard that the plots would be in Dagon East, but we don’t know who will assign the plots, a private company or the State.”
The applicants applying for a flat and plot are required to submit an application form, a copy of their National Registration Certificate, a copy  of their household registration certificate, a pension book or an E payment bank card, and a retirement authorization order issued by the pension office.