Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today said the Rural Transformation Centre (RTC) set up under the country's rural transformation agenda, would be expanded nationwide.

Apart from the RTC, the rural information centres would also become mini RTC, to expedite efforts to improve the socio-economy of the people in the rural areas.

"Since launching the RTC, we have been able to see dramatic changes at the grassroots level. From remote lifeless areas, the setting up of RTC has helped transform the mindset of the rural folks," said Najib after launching the Pahang RTC in Kuala Pahang, near here, today.

Najib said that following the modernisation of rural areas, the Government wanted to bridge the income gap between the urban and rural folks.

The Pahang RTC is the fourth after such facilities were opened in Perak, Kelantan and Melaka.

The RTC serves as a one-stop collection point for the product of rural folks within a 100km radius, to be sold to hypermarkets throughout the country or even for export.

Najib said 77 rural information centres have been transformed into mini RTC while 300 more are in the process of being transformed in the future.

People must realise that the setting up of RTC will not only make the people's life easier but it will also help increase their income through business activities.

This is proof that the Barisan Nasional (BN) government's transformation agenda had succeeded in transforming the lifestyle of the people living in rural areas.

Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, Agriculture and Agro Based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar, Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob and Chief Secretary to the Government Datuk Seri Dr Ali Hamsa were among 15,000 who attended the Pahang RTC launch, here today.