ALOR SETAR, Dec 29 — A total of 4,326 people in rural areas affected by the Covid-19 pandemic have received aids amounting to more than RM6 million from the Kedah Regional Development Authority (Keda) since March this year.
Keda chairman Datuk Ku Abd Rahman Ku Ismail said they received assistance such as rental exemption for small and medium industry premises, donations of food ingredients, agriculture aid such as fertilisers and pesticides as well as grants to purchase agriculture equipment.
Keda also provided bus services to bring home students from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris in Tanjung Malim, Perak as well as those who had completed their mandatory quarantine at Dorsett Hotel, Putrajaya, he told reporters recently.
Ku Abd Rahman said the aids were also implemented through various initiatives and programmes Keda conducted to raise income for farmers, empower the rural economy and develop entrepreneurs.
Keda also extended assistance to tenants of its houses and premises by providing a moratorium on the rent, he added.
On Keda’s programmes for next year, Ku Abd Rahman said it planned to empower technical and vocational education and training (TVET) at the Keda College in Sik to ensure it is in line with current needs.
He said the move would help youths to get technical training to enable them to start a business after completing their training or secure employment with a decent salary.
Meanwhile, Keda general manager Kamarudin Abd Akib said the regional authority targets to rehabilitate about 100 hectares of idle land in the state next year to allow farmers to work on the land and generate income.
Kamarudin said Keda had rehabilitated about 10 per cent of 4,000 hectares of idle land in the state through its redevelopment programmes. — Bernama
