Nghe An Irrigation Department: 15 years of construction and development
Implementing the policy of arranging and merging the Departments of Agriculture, Forestry, and Irrigation into the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, in May 1996, the Irrigation Sub-Department was established with the task of state management of water resources and irrigation works, meeting the requirements of sustainable agricultural and rural development and other water needs from irrigation works in the direction of industrialization and modernization.
Implementing the policy of arranging and merging the Departments of Agriculture, Forestry, and Irrigation into the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, in May 1996, the Irrigation Sub-Department was established with the task of state management of water resources and irrigation works, meeting the requirements of sustainable agricultural and rural development and other water needs from irrigation works in the direction of industrialization and modernization.
Over the past 15 years, the Department has overcome difficulties and performed well its assigned functions and tasks. The Department has focused on drafting and helping the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development submit to the Provincial People's Committee many important mechanisms and policies, creating a new step in the management, repair, upgrading and use of irrigation works in the province in a strict, safe and effective manner.
Notably, the consultation on the issuance of Decision 3677/QD-UB dated October 12, 1996 on "Stable irrigation fee collection level (TLP) from 1997 to 2000", stipulating that TLP is calculated in rice, collected in cash for 3 consecutive years, replacing the mechanism of collecting TLP according to the percentage of productivity and collecting in rice for the food industry, which was enthusiastically approved by the people. Thanks to that, the actual TLP collection rate from 40 - 60% before has increased to 80 - 90%, with some units reaching 100%.
The newly renovated and put into use spillway of the Vu Mau irrigation project
In particular, the Department has developed a project to solidify canals, which has been assessed by the Provincial People's Committee as being scientific and highly feasible. The Department also drafted and helped the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development submit to the Provincial People's Committee Decision 1654/1997 on "Policy on capital mobilization and mechanism for organizing the solidification of irrigation canals" and has performed well as a standing agency, promptly advising on removing difficulties in directing the implementation, creating a vibrant movement, bringing positive results. Before 1996, the whole province had only 36km of concrete canals, but now, nearly 4,500km of canals have been solidified.
In addition, the Department also advises the Department and the Provincial People's Committee to issue policies and mechanisms to effectively implement Resolution No. 02/NQ-TU dated May 21, 2001 on "Irrigation for industrial crops, fruit trees, color crops and aquaculture. Continue to promote the program of consolidating canals". Every year, October 16 is taken as the Traditional Day to well organize the movement to launch irrigation work.
After 10 years of implementation, the will of self-reliance and self-improvement has been aroused, the spirit and movement of irrigation in the Soviet homeland has been revived; proactively and sensitively advised on policies and solutions to prevent flooding, drought, and saltwater intrusion, serving agricultural production, contributing to exceeding the food output target of 1 million tons set by the Resolution of the 16th Provincial Party Congress. Timely implementing the Government's Decree on the new irrigation fee policy, initially calculating correctly and fully the production costs to create conditions for repairing works, the lives of irrigation workers have been initially improved.
In addition, the Department has successfully completed scientific projects, contributing to improving the efficiency of management and exploitation of irrigation works, ensuring the safety of reservoirs and saving irrigation.
To serve the immediate and long-term management work, the Department also proposed and implemented the Project on investigation and assessment of surface water resources, groundwater, reservoirs, and electric pumping stations across the province, as a basis for planning strategies for developing irrigation technical facilities and promptly responding to the repair and upgrading of irrigation works in the current climate change situation.
After 15 years of construction and development, with efforts, enthusiasm and results, the Department has been honored to be awarded the Third Class Labor Medal; Certificate of Merit and Emulation Flag from the Government, ministries, central branches and the Provincial People's Committee. That is the pride and excitement that motivates the Nghe An Irrigation Department to strive to excellently complete its tasks in the new period.
Nguyen Quang Hoa
