Con Cuong continues to do a good job of forest protection to build an ecological city.

PV: Can you tell us about the outstanding results that Con Cuong district achieved in 2023?

Comrade Luong Dinh Viet:In 2023, Con Cuong district continues to receive close attention and direction from the Provincial Party Committee, Provincial People's Committee, and provincial-level sectors. The Party Committee and government have been united and united. The entire political system, people and businesses have joined hands to develop the economy and society. Therefore, Con Cuong district has achieved good results.

The socio-economy has recovered and developed stably in all sectors and fields, with 19/26 main targets completed and exceeding the set plan. Of which, the growth rate is estimated at 6.43%; the production value in the area in 2023 is estimated at 2,895 billion VND, an increase of 6.79% over the same period. The total local budget revenue is estimated at 27 billion VND, equal to 133.88% of the provincial estimate, compared to the same period reaching 110.67%.

Agriculture, forestry, fishery and industry maintained good growth; the service sector recovered; budget revenue met the set estimate; many important works and projects were started, put into operation and promoted effectively. The district has done a good job of taking care of cultural and social development, improving people's lives, and ensuring social security. Politics are stable; national defense, security, order and social safety in the area are maintained.

In addition to the achieved results, the local socio-economic situation also faces many difficulties and limitations such as: slow disbursement of public investment capital; limited state management in some areas, and administrative reform that has not met requirements.

PV: Could you please tell us more about the 7 targets that have not been achieved as planned and the reasons?

Comrade Luong Dinh Viet:In 2023, although all socio-economic indicators increased compared to 2022, Con Cuong district still had 7/26 targets that were not met compared to the set plan, including: Average growth rate reached 6.43/9.12%; Total added value (According to 2010 comparative prices) reached 1,445/1,562 billion VND; Average added value per capita reached 41.2/42.6 million VND; 3/7 villages and hamlets met the new rural criteria; The number of schools meeting new national standards in the year reached 1/3 schools; The rate of communes, wards and towns with cultural and sports institutions meeting new standards in the year reached 46.1/61.5%; The number of communes, towns, agencies and units meeting the "security and order safety" standards reached 191/206 units.

The reason for the failure to achieve the above 7 targets is due to the impacts and difficulties in the country and internationally, leading to many difficulties in production and business of local people. Meanwhile, the economy of Con Cuong district has a low starting point, is still modest in scale, and is in the process of transformation, so its resilience and competitiveness are still limited. Some projects under the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development of Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas have low disbursement due to having to go through many stages and steps of selecting contractors, which takes a lot of time.

Regarding the new rural criteria, the number of registered villages and hamlets has not met the criteria due to the criteria for assessing poor households according to the new standards (higher than the criteria in 2022). On the other hand, the policy of implementing the National Target Programs has been slow due to the lack of uniformity in the guidance documents from higher levels. The target of "Commune with cultural and sports institutions meeting the standards of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism" has not been met because the investment resources of the commune are still weak, the investment budget for building grassroots cultural and sports institutions is still limited; the people's conditions are still difficult, so it has significantly affected the socialization work.

Regarding subjective causes, a number of cadres and people still have the mindset of waiting, relying, or thinking that "if we reach the new rural finish line, direct policies for cadres and people will be cut". The construction of grassroots cultural and sports institutions has not received due attention from the Party Committee and the communal government. Specifically, at the beginning of the year, the commune registered to build, but there was no plan or solution to complete the target. Some communes are still weak and limited in mobilizing and promoting internal resources. Some civil servants and public employees violate the law to the extent that they must be criminally and administratively prosecuted.

PV: In 2024, what specific goals does Con Cuong district set, comrade?

Comrade Luong Dinh Viet:In 2024, Con Cuong district sets the goal of effectively controlling newly emerging diseases in conjunction with continuing to implement the Socio-Economic Recovery and Development Program; promoting growth along with economic restructuring, aiming at substantial and clear transformation of the growth model towards sustainability; mobilizing all resources to invest in infrastructure development, especially strategic and key infrastructure; effectively implementing National Target Programs.

Improve the quality of human resources associated with the development of science, technology and innovation; synchronously develop cultural and social fields, improve people's material and spiritual life, ensure social security; strictly manage land, resources, protect the environment, proactively take measures to prevent and combat natural disasters, effectively respond to climate change... Promote digital transformation, administrative reform, create a favorable investment and business environment, unlock resources for development; strengthen administrative discipline and order; prevent and combat corruption and waste; improve the effectiveness of foreign affairs; maintain political stability, consolidate national defense and security, ensure social order and safety.

The main targets are: average growth rate of 7-9%; total added value of production at constant prices (according to 2010 comparative prices) reaching nearly 1,556 billion VND; budget revenue in the area reaching over 23.6 billion VND; average added value per capita reaching 44.7 million VND; 7-8 villages and hamlets meeting new rural criteria; reducing the poverty rate by 3-3.5%; increasing 2 new national standard schools; creating new jobs for 1,200 workers; over 75% rate of cultural families; rate of communes, wards and towns with standard cultural and sports institutions (according to new criteria of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) reaching 53.8%; 97% of the population participating in health insurance; forest coverage rate reaching 83.9%; ensuring national defense and security, no hot spots occurring; Over 95% of communes, towns, agencies and units meet "security and order standards"...

To achieve the above goals and targets, Con Cuong district continues to direct the implementation of the action program and key tasks to implement the Resolution of the Party Congress at all levels; implement Resolution No. 39-NQ/TW dated July 18, 2023 of the Politburo on building and developing Nghe An province to 2030, with a vision to 2045, in which the focus is on doing a good job of forest protection and environmental protection to build Con Cuong district into a type 4 urban area in the direction of ecological and tourist urban areas.

The district continues to synchronously implement measures to effectively control human diseases; effectively implement the Program for socio-economic recovery and development; promote growth in sectors and fields, associated with accelerating economic restructuring, improving productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness; focus on mobilizing resources to develop the infrastructure system; promote disbursement of public investment capital; strengthen effective management of budget revenue and expenditure; strongly improve the investment environment; constantly innovate and improve the quality of education and training; develop human resources associated with promoting innovation, creativity, application and development of science and technology; develop culture and society; implement social progress and equity, improve people's lives, and ensure social security.

Along with that, continue to effectively and sustainably manage, exploit and use natural resources; protect the living environment; proactively and effectively respond to climate change, prevent, combat and mitigate natural disasters; improve the effectiveness and efficiency of State management; promote administrative reform; promote digital transformation; improve foreign affairs; ensure the maintenance of national defense, security, order and social safety; strengthen inspection, examination, citizen reception, settlement of complaints and denunciations; promote information and communication, improve the effectiveness of mass mobilization work, and create social consensus.

Con Cuong district hopes that provincial departments and branches will continue to pay attention and provide more guidance so that the district can better implement the National Target Programs and support the district in removing difficulties and obstacles in site clearance, handling agricultural and forestry land issues, and speeding up the process of granting land use right certificates to people.

PV:Thank you comrade!