Ky Son: Combining resources for sustainable development

(Baonghean) - To gradually escape poverty, the Party Committee and people of all ethnic groups in Ky Son district have made many efforts in economic development, social welfare, and national defense and security. In 2014 alone, the district reduced the number of poor households by 8.14%, a commendable result. On the occasion of the Lunar New Year, a reporter from Nghe An Newspaper interviewed Comrade Bui Tram - Deputy Secretary of the District Party Committee and Chairman of the People's Committee of Ky Son district.

Reporter:In 2014, Ky Son district, a mountainous area, achieved positive results in socio-economic development. Could you please tell us about some of the outstanding achievements?

Comrade Bui Tram:2014 marked the fourth year that Ky Son district implemented the goals of the Resolution of the 21st District Party Committee and the 5-year socio-economic development plan for the period 2011-2015; it was also the sixth year of implementing the "Rapid and Sustainable Poverty Reduction" project according to Government Resolution 30a. Despite facing numerous difficulties, with the attention of the province and the central government in supporting and investing in economic development and ensuring social security, the district effectively integrated various programs and projects, such as: Program 30a/CP, Program 135/CP, Program 167/CP, and the New Rural Development Program. In addition, provincial departments and agencies provided support and assistance to particularly disadvantaged communes in the district according to Decision 1310 of the Provincial People's Committee...

Comrade Bui Tram - Deputy Secretary of the District Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Committee of Ky Son District

The total value of production in the district for the year is estimated at 1,212,717 million VND. Of which: the value of agricultural and forestry production is estimated at 870,166 million VND; the value of industrial and construction production is estimated at 104,551 million VND; and the average per capita income is estimated at 13.8 million VND/year. Total food production reached 22,990 tons. Several models have proven highly effective, such as the L26 peanut model, ginger cultivation, free-range chicken farming, and intensive hybrid corn cultivation. Livestock and poultry populations continue to develop, especially buffalo and cattle (compared to the same period in 2013, the cattle population increased by 12%, and the buffalo population increased by 10%); effective implementation of disease prevention vaccination and livestock transportation control has been achieved.

The district has ensured the safety of over 21,000 hectares of forest, particularly preventing forest fires; planted over 20 hectares of protective forest and propagated over 40,000 seedlings of various types. Simultaneously, the district has effectively implemented measures to combat the re-cultivation of opium poppies, with no cases of re-cultivation reported in the area. The approval of rural development projects has been completed for all 20 communes. The district has also effectively managed the construction of rural roads, with 7 out of 20 communes having completed 28.4 km of concrete rural roads. Aquaculture has also seen significant development.

The Nam Mo hydroelectric power plant has been put into operation.

Basic infrastructure projects with investment capital have been accelerated, with many completed, inspected, and put into use. Six out of seven projects carried over from 2013 have been put into operation, including: the electricity supply project in Bao Nam commune, the Ca Noi - Huoi Thum road, the Ta Ca commune People's Committee office building, the waste treatment plant in Muong Xen town, the electricity supply project in Chieu Luu commune, and the electricity supply project in Huu Kiem commune. The Huoi Lau - Tham Hang road project has reached 89.2% completion. Of the 29 projects launched in 2014, 26 have been completed, with 3 still under construction. Projects under Program 135/CP have completed 14 out of 16, with the remaining projects under construction, achieving 80-90% completion.

Many roads leading to the centers of communes have been opened to traffic, facilitating people's travel, such as: Muong Xen - Ta Ca - Muong Tip - Muong Ai; Huoi Tu - Na Loi - Dooc May - Keng Du. The district is actively working to clear and handle households that deliberately re-encroach on the traffic safety corridor of National Highway 7A, especially in Muong Xen town. Inspections are being conducted to ensure safety of inland waterway traffic in the area. Coordination with relevant departments is underway to bring the national power grid to the center of Huoi Tu commune, bringing the number of communes with access to the national power grid to 10.

Huoi Dun - Huoi Tu Village.

Regarding culture, society, and education, the district has paid attention to and effectively organized activities to promote and encourage people to participate in major national and local holidays and events. The project "Preserving, maintaining, and developing national cultural values ​​associated with tourism development" has been completed. The school network is increasingly strengthened, and schools are becoming cultural beacons. At the end of the 2013-2014 school year, the quality of teaching and learning improved significantly; at the primary level, there were 58 outstanding students at the district level and 4 outstanding students at the provincial level; at the secondary level, there were 175 outstanding students at the district level and 19 outstanding students at the provincial level; the high school graduation rate reached 83.4%, and the supplementary high school graduation rate reached 35.7%; there were 390 outstanding teachers at the district level, 20 outstanding teachers at the provincial level, and 1 outstanding teacher at the national level...

Regarding healthcare, the district regularly inspects and closely monitors the disease situation in the area, preventing large outbreaks; fully implements national health programs, expanded immunization programs, and malaria prevention and control campaigns... Continues to implement "Project 1816 on strengthening doctors at the grassroots level," which includes providing 4 doctors for 3 consecutive months to 4 communes: Pha Danh, Nam Can, Chieu Luu, and Ta Ca.

The schools in Ky Son have been largely modernized.

Regarding policies on labor, employment, and poverty reduction: Social welfare work has been carried out effectively, addressing the entitlements of those who have contributed to the revolution and those receiving social assistance. Six training courses were opened with 165 participants in sewing, motorcycle repair, brocade weaving, and rattan weaving; relief rice was promptly distributed to the people. A review of poor households with dilapidated or leaky housing and those in need of vocational training was completed. The poverty rate is now 52.79%, a decrease of 8.14% compared to 2013. In particular, the Party Committee and ethnic minority communities have always closely coordinated with functional forces and the Lao ethnic groups along the border to effectively carry out national defense and security tasks, firmly protecting the national border.

PV:Based on the achievements made so far, what solutions will Ky Son district implement in 2015 to further promote socio-economic development?

Comrade Bui Tram:The district is committed to boosting production and transforming its economic structure towards a combination of agriculture and forestry. It will effectively protect forests, ensure national defense and security, limit illegal migration and border disputes, gradually improve the people's spiritual well-being, preserve the cultural identity of ethnic groups, effectively implement poverty reduction programs, firmly protect national border security and social order, and maintain good friendly and cooperative relations with districts along the border of neighboring Laos.

Developing livestock farming in Ky Son.

Ky Son district has also planned and gradually invested in the infrastructure of the Chieu Luu small industrial cluster and traditional craft villages, while promoting and improving the efficiency of small-scale handicraft production; forming concentrated production areas linked to processing industries and consumer markets, such as in Muong Xen town, Na Ngoi, Nam Can, Muong Long, Huoi Tu, Nam Can, Chieu Luu, and Huu Kiem.

The district has identified one of its key tasks as continuing to effectively implement central government policies such as Resolution 30a, Program 135, the Western Nghe An Development Program, and the New Rural Development Program. It will direct efforts to accelerate the implementation of projects and programs. To achieve this, from the beginning of the year, effective budget management will be implemented; budget allocation to units will be proactive from the start of the year, while encouraging people to maximize support from all levels and sectors, thereby creating a solid foundation for poverty alleviation...

PV(Perform)