Trang Ke Industrial Cluster Project (Yen Thanh)

(Baonghean)The Trang Ke Industrial Cluster is a project that has been "conceived" over many years, as evidenced by numerous resolutions of the My Thanh Commune Party Committee (Yen Thanh District).

Part 1: Bringing industry back to the 'rice-growing homeland'

The project also fulfills the aspirations of many officials and people in My Thanh commune in particular and Yen Thanh district in general, aiming to break the monoculture, bring industry to the "rice homeland," create jobs, and improve people's lives.

12 years of "conception"

In My Thanh commune, residents are discussing the construction of infrastructure for the Trang Ke industrial cluster. According to locals, the project has been "talked about" since 2005 but has yet to be implemented. At the 27th Party Congress of My Thanh commune, term 2005-2010, the policy of industrial development was unanimously approved by the party members.

At the 28th Congress of the My Thanh Commune Party Committee, term 2010-2015, the issue of industrial development continued to be discussed and included in the resolution. Specifically, the resolution stated: "Closely coordinate with the District People's Committee to focus on attracting investment in industrial clusters and eco-tourism areas in Thung My, Chua, De De hamlets 12 and 13a."

By 2015, the Resolution of the 29th Congress of the My Thanh Commune Party Committee, term 2015-2020, determined that: Regarding economic development, it is necessary to create all favorable conditions for land clearance for the Trang Ke industrial park and the Dong Kenh waste treatment area, and to continue to mobilize and attract investment into the industrial park.

The planned construction area for the Trang Ke Industrial Cluster. Photo: PV

To successfully implement the Party Committee's Resolution, in 2014, the People's Committee of My Thanh commune submitted a proposal to the People's Committee of Yen Thanh district requesting approval for the construction of the Trang Ke Industrial Cluster. In June 2014, the People's Committee of Yen Thanh district submitted proposal No. 254 to the People's Committee of the province requesting permission to survey and select a site for the planning and construction of the Trang Ke Industrial Cluster in My Thanh commune. My Thanh commune rejoiced when, on August 1, 2014, the People's Committee of the province issued a Decision allowing the survey and selection of a site and the preparation of a detailed plan for the construction of the Trang Ke Industrial Cluster in My Thanh commune. The permitted location and boundaries encompass hamlets 12 and 13 of My Thanh commune, covering an area of ​​51.2 hectares.

On August 19, 2014, the People's Committee of Yen Thanh District issued a decision approving the contractor for surveying and mapping the topographic map at a scale of 1/500, and preparing the detailed construction plan for the Trang Ke Industrial Cluster, covering an area of ​​over 51.3 hectares. Specifically, the Trang Ke Industrial Cluster is divided into two areas located on either side of National Highway 7A; the total area of ​​Area A, north of National Highway 7A, is over 33.96 hectares; and the total area of ​​Area B, south of National Highway 7A, is over 17.3 hectares.

Perspective view of Trang Ke Industrial Cluster (My Thanh, Yen Thanh). Photo: PV

To foster public consensus, the People's Committee of Yen Thanh District organized a conference to gather opinions from managers, scientists, and Party members of My Thanh commune regarding the planning and construction of the Trang Ke Industrial Cluster. At the conference, many delegates contributed valuable insights on developing a sustainable industrial cluster that minimizes environmental impact and attracts clean projects. All delegates agreed that the construction of the Trang Ke Industrial Cluster is the right decision and requested that the Yen Thanh District People's Committee complete all necessary procedures to expedite project implementation.

On October 30, 2015, the People's Council of Nghe An province issued a decision approving the investment plan for the Trang Ke Industrial Cluster Infrastructure Project. The project aims to build the technical infrastructure of the Trang Ke Industrial Cluster to meet the requirements for industrial cluster infrastructure, thereby attracting investment to shift the economic structure, promote local socio-economic growth, and ensure effective environmental protection and sustainable development.

To implement the project, the People's Committee of Yen Thanh District established a Compensation and Land Clearance Council. Accordingly, for phase 1 of the project, the total land area to be acquired is 8 hectares, including 5.3 hectares of production forest land; 1.4 hectares of rural residential land; 0.12 hectares of annual crop land; 0.08 hectares of cemetery land; 0.05 hectares of perennial crop land; 0.79 hectares of rice paddy land... The number of households to be relocated in phase 1 is 17 households in hamlets 12 and 13.

In August 2016, the People's Committee of Yen Thanh District held a meeting to announce the detailed construction plan for the Trang Ke Industrial Cluster in My Thanh Commune and also held a meeting to gather opinions from the secretaries and heads of hamlets 12 and 13, as well as households with land and assets on the land affected by the compensation, support, and resettlement plan for the N3 and N4 roads of the Trang Ke Industrial Cluster infrastructure project.

Breaking the monoculture

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Thach, Chairman of the People's Committee of My Thanh commune, the income of the vast majority of people in My Thanh commune has depended on agricultural production for many years. Specifically, in 2010, agriculture accounted for nearly 60% of the economic structure, with an average per capita income of only 15.2 million VND/year. By 2015, although there had been some shift, agriculture still accounted for nearly 40%, and the average per capita income was only 24.3 million VND/year.

Small-scale industries and construction only account for 19.5% of the economy, and industry has not yet developed. The potential advantages of a mountainous commune with National Highway 7A running through it have not been fully exploited. Therefore, building an industrial cluster in My Thanh commune is a favorable opportunity to develop the commune's socio-economic conditions, thereby improving the lives of its people.

Workers at a garment factory (Yen Thanh town industrial cluster). Photo: TD

This is also the policy that Yen Thanh district has been striving to promote in recent years, accelerating growth while restructuring the economy. Specifically, this includes significantly improving the investment environment, expanding and enhancing the effectiveness of foreign relations, boosting investment attraction, building socio-economic infrastructure, and mobilizing and effectively utilizing resources for development.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Ha, Vice Chairman of the Yen Thanh District People's Committee, said that Yen Thanh is located between three key investment and economic development zones of the province: Vinh City, the Hoang Mai - Dong Hoi area, and the Tan Ky - Do Luong - Nghia Dan - Quy Hop area. Yen Thanh also serves as a bridge for socio-economic development between the mountainous districts and the coastal plains of Nghe An province.

Therefore, the district has favorable conditions for developing industry and services. Besides the Yen Thanh town industrial cluster, the district has identified the construction of the Trang Ke industrial cluster as a great opportunity for My Thanh commune in particular and Yen Thanh district in general to break away from monoculture, develop industrialization and modernization, thereby creating jobs and contributing to improving the socio-economic life of the people.

The People's Committee of Yen Thanh District will coordinate with relevant agencies in the design and construction of wastewater treatment systems to control pollution. They also commit to ensuring that the construction process does not affect the electricity supply, water supply, drainage, domestic wastewater drainage system, or environmental sanitation of the residential areas surrounding the project.

A section of the industrial cluster in Yen Thanh town has become operational, providing thousands of jobs for local residents. Photo: Thai Duong

Thus, the construction process of the Trang Ke Industrial Cluster project in My Thanh commune has been carried out by all levels and sectors in accordance with State regulations. Currently, the State has allocated 32.8 billion VND for phase 1, and the Yen Thanh District People's Committee is disbursing over 18 billion VND to the investor and paying compensation for land clearance to households.

However, the project is facing obstacles due to opposition from some households in Hamlet 12, who are preventing the contractor from carrying out the construction. According to the leaders of Yen Thanh district, if the project is not implemented in 2017, there is a high probability that the State will revoke the project, and in that case, the construction of the Trang Ke Industrial Cluster will not be carried out as stipulated in the Resolution of the Yen Thanh District Party Committee and My Thanh Commune.

(To be continued)

Reporters' Team