The Provincial Party Secretary directed the restoration of the land around the mineral mining site.

(Baonghean.vn) - This was one of the key points emphasized by Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Dac Vinh at a meeting with the Standing Committee of the Que Phong District Party Committee on the afternoon of March 21st.

"The Provincial Party Secretary visits Asia's largest passion fruit seedling production facility."

During the meeting, the Secretary of the Que Phong District Party Committee, Lu Dinh Thi, stated that five mines in Que Phong district have ceased mineral extraction but have not yet completed land restoration according to the mine closure procedures. This issue poses very dangerous consequences, as the mines are located high in the mountains, becoming "water reservoirs" that threaten the safety of the people, especially with the rainy and stormy season approaching.

Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Dac Vinh chaired the meeting. Photo: Thanh Duy.

Acknowledging the request from Que Phong district, Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Dac Vinh stated that the province has assigned the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to direct businesses to carry out land reclamation at more than 140 mines in the province, including those in Que Phong.

However, to date, the mines in Que Phong have not been reclaimed despite the district having requested this from the Department three months ago. The Provincial Party Secretary instructed the Provincial Party Committee Office to include the conclusions of the meeting in the notice sent to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, and to mandate that the mines must be reclaimed and closed according to proper procedures by June 2017.

Also at the meeting, the Secretary of the Que Phong District Party Committee, Lu Dinh Thi, reported to the Provincial Party Secretary and the delegation: In 2016, the district's economic situation continued to show positive changes, with a growth rate of 7%, of which the district-managed portion reached 7.6%.

In implementing the restructuring of the agricultural sector, the district directed specialized departments and agencies to develop and implement development projects in specific areas such as projects for producing cold-resistant rice, safe vegetables, and a project for fishing in the Hủa Na hydroelectric reservoir. There was also a program to plant 5,500 hectares of new forest, including 2,000 hectares of rubber trees. Furthermore, there was a project for the development and conservation of medicinal plants for the period 2016-2020.

The district has also implemented the National Target Program for Sustainable Poverty Reduction with many positive results. Thanks to these solutions, the average per capita income in the district has reached over 20 million VND; the poverty rate has decreased from 51.43% to 45.95%.

Regarding personnel reduction, in 2016, the Party and mass organization agencies resolved 3 cases and reviewed and implemented the plan for the 2016-2021 period, submitting it to the Provincial Party Committee's Organization Department. The agencies and public service units under the management of the District People's Committee resolved 4 cases.

After listening to the opinions of provincial departments, the Provincial Party Secretary shared the specific difficulties that Que Phong district is facing. The Provincial Party Secretary also acknowledged the district's efforts in ensuring political stability and border security; building a strong political system from the district to the grassroots level; implementing the national unity policy; its systematic approach to poverty reduction; and its efforts in combating drug-related crimes.

Secretary of the Que Phong District Party Committee, Lu Dinh Thi, speaks at the working session. Photo: Thanh Duy.

To guide the development of Que Phong district, based on an analysis of the local strengths, the Provincial Party Secretary suggested that the district coordinate with relevant sectors to develop forestry, as this is a local advantage and impacts a large portion of the population by providing raw materials for wood processing factories such as the MDF factory in Nghia Dan district.

However, in order for forestry to become a profession that alleviates poverty and even enriches the people, the Provincial Party Secretary emphasized the need for leadership from businesses; at the same time, there must be a good strategy for planning forest land and allocating land to people for forestry activities.

Furthermore, the Provincial Party Secretary encouraged Que Phong to develop industrial crops such as rubber and passion fruit on suitable arable land. However, to do this well, Secretary Nguyen Dac Vinh noted that the district should coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Department of Planning and Investment to research and advise the Provincial People's Committee on a strategy to gradually invest in infrastructure in these raw material areas, starting with large and important areas.

The Provincial Party Secretary also emphasized that Que Phong should continue to maintain and improve the efficiency of the existing rice cultivation area to ensure food security. In addition, to develop livestock farming, the district needs to guide the people in planting grass, preventing and controlling diseases, as well as developing a business mindset and style oriented towards commercial production.

Clearly outlining the strategic direction for agricultural development in Que Phong, the Provincial Party Secretary emphasized that successfully implementing these issues is essential to improving people's lives and is also the foundation for building new rural areas.

Regarding poverty reduction efforts, the Party Secretary stated that Que Phong district should prioritize poverty eradication over rural development because it is a poor district; therefore, poverty eradication must be implemented step by step, systematically, and fundamentally.

In this regard, the Provincial Party Secretary requested that the district provide the poor with the means and resources for production, linked to economic development models, in order to achieve the goal of rapid and sustainable poverty reduction. In addition, it is necessary to effectively carry out education, raise the intellectual level of the people, ensure that all children of school age attend school, and conduct effective information and propaganda work among the people.

Sharing his concerns about the difficulties in attracting talented officials from other regions to the district, the Party Secretary suggested that the district should rely largely on its local staff, as well as attract local youth for training and continue to train existing officials to ensure they are truly skilled.

Regarding standards, the Provincial Party Secretary emphasized that the district needs a certain number of well-trained cadres for development, but also needs a number of cadres stationed in villages and communes who must have a deep understanding of the local area and possess strong leadership skills among the masses.

Passion fruit cultivation in Tri Le commune, Que Phong district. Photo: Thanh Duy.

"I suggest that you should study the construction of a political system in which, for important and crucial positions in the district, you should select the best cadres to assign, train, and cultivate them, so that they can be the driving force for the district's development; and for positions in remote and disadvantaged areas, you should choose people with strong character, a deep understanding of the local area, and close to the people," the Provincial Party Secretary pointed out.

The comrade also suggested that Que Phong should effectively implement the rotation of cadres to grassroots levels for training and preparation of a core pool of successor cadres; conduct research to effectively implement job descriptions; and reorganize the apparatus for efficiency with a forward-looking mindset.

The Provincial Party Secretary also responded to and clarified the solutions to the district's requests. Regarding hydropower, the Provincial Party Secretary stated that the province has stopped granting permits for new hydropower projects. As for existing hydropower plants, including those in Que Phong district, Party Secretary Nguyen Dac Vinh suggested that the district work with the hydropower companies, and the province will cooperate with the district to ensure that these companies participate more effectively in social welfare policies in the area.

Regarding the proposal to revoke the licenses of companies leasing forest land in the area but failing to implement reforestation, the Provincial Party Secretary affirmed his support for revoking licenses for companies that do not implement reforestation according to the correct procedures.

Thanh Duy