Con Cuong builds synchronous infrastructure, sustainable socio-economic development

A corner of Mon Son - Pha Lai fields. Photo: Sach Nguyen.

Convenient infrastructure connection

Identifying the connection of traffic infrastructure as an important factor to promote the development of all socio-economic fields, ensuring national defense and security, in the past term, the District Party Committee and People's Committee had many solutions to attract investment resources and build traffic. Many weak roads serving people's lives and socio-economic development were completed such as: Traffic road from National Highway 7A to Southwest Regional General Hospital, Con Cuong urban road from National Highway 7A to small industrial park. In particular, in the past term, the district made efforts to complete the road project from Con Cuong town to Binh Chuan commune, which started 13 years ago. This is a vital road passing through the communes of Bong Khe, Mau Duc, Don Phuc and Binh Chuan with a total length of nearly 29 km.

Chairman of Con Cuong District People's Committee Vi Van Son (right) inspects the orange growing model in Chi Khe commune (Con Cuong). Photo: Nguyen Son

The district also actively mobilized resources to build new roads to the center of Chau Khe commune; connect roads from Mau Duc commune to Thach Ngan commune; Repair and lower the slope of the road to the Thung Coong production area of ​​Chi Khe commune; Urgently repair the road from Cong village to Cai village, Cam Lam commune, upgrade and expand the Cai - Cam village road, concrete road (section from Khe Phuong, Cong village - to Cai village), Bong Khe road to Khe Ran; Urgently repair Lam Khe suspension bridge, Chi Khe commune...

In addition to the traffic infrastructure, the district also coordinated with related sectors to mobilize tens of billions of VND to complete the power line infrastructure from the center of Mon Son commune to Bung village, Mon Son commune; build an irrigation system; complete Khe Hieng reservoir in Chau Khe commune; Phai Hia dam in Luc Da commune; Phai Lo Lon dam in Mon Son commune; embankment to prevent landslides at some locations along Lam River, 500m long; build infrastructure for Bong Khe industrial cluster to call for investment from businesses.

Traffic routes in the rural village of Na Duoi. Photo: Nguyen Son

During the past term, Con Cuong district strengthened the construction of commercial and cultural infrastructure, schools, clinics, the historical relic of Mr. Vi Van Khang's house, the infrastructure of the Tham Nang Man scenic relic in Yen Khe commune; built new headquarters of a number of units according to the planning; completed 7 suspension bridges for people and 6 rigid bridges under the Local Road Asset Management Project (LRAMP); completed 38 km of border patrol route from Khe Na village, Chau Khe commune to the Vietnam - Laos border. Production electricity and lighting systems were invested, renovated and upgraded; 44,702 billion VND was mobilized to invest in new construction and upgrading of key works and canal systems serving production, of which people contributed 11,121 billion VND.

One of the highlights of the past term is that the district has actively encouraged businesses to invest in infrastructure construction to serve tourism development in the area. A typical example is the Muong Thanh Con Cuong hotel and commercial center complex with a total investment of 360 billion VND (completed in October 2016), creating a highlight for the urban area while strengthening infrastructure for tourism development.

Currently, the district is continuing to coordinate with departments and branches to mobilize resources to contribute to the construction of Thanh Nam bridge over Lam River and invest in some facilities and infrastructure associated with tourism development, building community tourism spots at: Khe Ran village, Bong Khe commune; Nua village, Pha village, Yen Khe commune; Xieng village, Mon Son commune.

Khe Kem Waterfall is one of the attractions that attracts many visitors and tourists to Con Cuong. Photo: Hai Vuong

Bright spots in economic development

In the period of 2015 - 2020, the poverty rate of Con Cuong district decreased from 32.01% (in 2015) to about 14.18% (in 2020), an average decrease of 3.38% per year. To achieve the above results, there was active participation of the entire political system and great efforts of the local people. During that process, the district promoted economic development in the direction of clean production and livestock; maximized the potential advantages of forests, medicinal herbs, and eco-tourism development.

In recent times, Con Cuong district has coordinated with Pu Mat National Park and forest management companies, units and people to initially promote the forest potential. Along with protecting and planting new forests, units and people have effectively exploited by-products and developed medicinal plants. The district has coordinated with local businesses to organize training courses and transfer techniques for planting, processing and preserving medicinal plants to dozens of households in the production areas of the communes: Chi Khe, Cam Lam, Don Phuc and Mon Son.

Up to now, the district has planted more than 20 hectares of medicinal herbs and is actively applying science and technology to process many products to bring to the market, which are well received by consumers. Among them are products recognized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the People's Committee of Nghe An province as typical rural industrial products, OCOP products with 4-star rating.

Harvesting rice in Chi Khe commune (Con Cuong). Photo: Hai Vuong

The district People's Committee has directed specialized departments to build models of transferring scientific and technological advances such as: Raising climbing fish for commercial purposes; large fields; trial production of high-quality pure rice varieties; building brands and trademarks of Con Cuong oranges and fermented wine... In addition, the activities of craft villages are focused on. In the past term, the district established 11 new cooperatives, bringing the total number of cooperatives in the district to 24 (including 13 agricultural cooperatives, 3 industrial cooperatives, 3 handicraft cooperatives, 2 transport cooperatives, 1 market service cooperative, 1 credit cooperative).

One of the key points of Con Cuong is the development of eco-tourism. In the district, there are beautiful places exploited for tourism such as: Khe Kem Waterfall, Khe Nuoc Moc, Pha Lai Dam, Giang River cruise or exploring the primeval forest with a system of caves and rich flora of Pu Mat National Park.

At the same time, businesses and many Thai households participate in community tourism services, serving tourists to explore landscapes, villages, Thai stilt houses, listen to stories of the village and Muong; learn about the daily production and living of the people; enjoy traditional dishes of the Thai people such as bamboo rice, five-color sticky rice, grilled chicken, grilled fish, grilled meat, bamboo shoot soup, wild vegetable dishes...

Khe Ran Village (Con Cuong). Photo: Hai Vuong

In addition, visitors can also participate in the cultural exchange program of Thai folk songs, bamboo dancing, enjoy gong dance, wine festival; experience sleeping in the stilt house of the Thai people. And a very special point when visitors come to community tourism sites in Con Cuong is to visit cultural and historical relics, learn about the customs and culture of 7 ethnic groups living in the district.

To continue developing eco-tourism, the community and the district have increased coordination to open training classes for people on how to do tourism, prepare dishes for tourism, maintain and develop brocade weaving, bamboo and rattan weaving and crafting souvenirs for tourists.

Care for culture, education, health care

Along with economic development, Con Cuong district takes good care of education and health care, promoting good traditional cultural values. The quality of mass and key education has been gradually improved. The rate of recognition of junior high school graduation is over 98%, the annual high school graduation rate is on average 95%; excellent students of the province at junior high and high school levels are always at the top of Group B. Many schools meet national standards, typically, for the first time, Con Cuong district has a high school (Con Cuong High School) that meets national standards and is also the first mountainous district to achieve this result.

Con Cuong Town Primary School implements online teaching for students. Photo: My Ha

The work of taking care of people's health has been paid attention to. Up to now, the construction of communes meeting national health standards has been carried out according to the roadmap. The quality of medical examination and treatment, examination and treatment services, service spirit, attitude, and medical ethics have been increasingly improved, medical equipment has been invested, basically meeting the medical examination and treatment needs of the people.

During the development process, Con Cuong district has focused on promoting the tradition of the revolutionary homeland and the precious qualities of Con Cuong people such as patriotism, revolution, solidarity, creativity, diligence, overcoming difficulties, and studiousness, creating great strength, continuing to build the image of "Con Cuong people speak well, do good deeds, and behave civilly". Those cultural values ​​effectively serve the socio-economic development of Con Cuong more comprehensively and sustainably.