A member of Yangon Region Parliament has called for action against some private entrepreneurs for their failure to return the state-owned fish farms leased to them by the Yangon Region government.

MP Soe Pa Pa Hlaing for Pabedan Township Constituency No (2) made the demand in her discussion of the findings and suggestions of the Public Accounts Committee over the report (2016-2017 fiscal year) of Yangon Region Auditor General's Office during a regular session of the region parliament held on Wednesday.

"The report says that those private businesses have been asked to return the state-owned fish farms but they have not yet done so. This is why I urge the government to take action in accord with the law so state-owned fish farms could be returned," said the lawmaker.

According to the report, 1,233.46 out of 2,418.46 acres of fish farms in Twantay Township owned by Twantay Fisheries Department are found to be unlicensed, while 553 acres owned by Yangon Station and 632 other acres are found to be mixed with prawns," said MP Soe Pa Pa Hlaing.

"Necessary measures should be taken to collect on-ground data about fish, prawn and crab farms so that the government can fully benefit from licence fees and taxes.

The parliamentary committee for agriculture, energy, electricity, mining and forestry has also pointed out that such breeding farms in Yangon Region for which the authorities failed to collect licensing fees in its report (2016-2017).

After the committee's field trips to those farms, various issues were found such as some inoperative but licensed farms, land ownership disputes, false ownership documents and failure to pay licence fees, said  the MP.