Nghe An: Removing difficulties to promote the effectiveness of grassroots cultural and sports institutions

On the morning of April 24, at the Cultural House of Hamlet 8, Nam Anh Commune (Nam Dan), the Provincial People's Committee held a Conference on solutions to effectively promote the system of grassroots cultural and sports institutions in Nghe An province.

Comrades Bui Dinh Long - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Tran Thi My Hanh - Member of the Provincial Party Executive Committee, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports chaired the conference. Also attending were representatives of leaders of departments, branches and localities.

Conference scene on solutions to effectively promote the system of grassroots cultural and sports institutions in Nghe An province. Photo: Minh Quan

There are still many difficulties.

According to the report of the Department of Culture and Sports on the current status of grassroots cultural and sports institutions, at the district level, 20/21 districts, cities and towns have Cultural - Sports centers; 18/21 district stadiums (to date, 3 districts and cities do not have district-level stadiums, including Quy Chau, Ky Son, and Vinh city); 8/21 districts, cities and towns have gymnasiums managed by the district and 77 gymnasiums for one or many sports are managed by departments and units in the district.

At the commune level, by the end of 2022, the number of communes, wards and towns with cultural and sports institutions will be 446/460, reaching 97.1%; the number of communes, wards and towns with cultural and sports institutions meeting the regulations of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will be 339/460, reaching 73.5%.

For villages (hamlets, blocks, and hamlets), the number of villages with cultural houses and sports grounds is 3,751/3,800 villages, reaching 98.7%; the number of villages with cultural institutions and sports grounds meeting the standards prescribed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is 2,839/3,800 villages, hamlets, blocks, and hamlets (reaching 74.5%); the number of villages after the merger with planned cultural facilities according to regulations is 1,675/1,790 villages (reaching 93.5%).

Cultural house of hamlet 8, Nam Anh commune - one of the model cultural and sports facilities in the province. Photo: Minh Quan

In recent times, although there have been positive impacts on the development of the cultural, artistic and sports movement at the grassroots level, the operation of the cultural and sports institutions system in the province still faces some limitations and difficulties such as: The planning of land for the construction of cultural houses, especially sports grounds of villages in mountainous and coastal areas, stadiums of communes and wards (belonging to Vinh city) is still difficult to ensure according to regulations and cannot be expanded due to lack of land or unconcentrated land; some cultural and sports institutions were planned and built many years ago (especially in villages after the merger) so the scale is small, many cultural houses are degraded, so they cannot meet the needs of daily life and enjoyment of the increasingly high spiritual life of the people. The progress in implementing the target of communes having cultural and sports institutions meeting the standards prescribed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in mountainous districts is still slow.

Volleyball exchange at Thanh Yen commune volleyball court (Thanh Chuong). Photo: Huy Thu

In addition, some localities have invested in cultural houses and stadiums but have not been proactive in innovating organizational methods and guiding activities in accordance with political tasks and people's cultural enjoyment needs; The operation of the library system and traditional rooms of communes, wards and towns has not been effective; many communes, villages, hamlets, blocks and hamlets still lack libraries and bookcases, and the number of books is still poor and sketchy; Some localities have not really paid attention to directing the management and exploitation of sports facilities, especially the socialization and leasing of facilities according to regulations.

Along with that, the staff working in culture and sports in some districts, communes, wards and towns are arranged and organized but do not have expertise in culture and sports, so the level and capacity to advise the Party Committee, the government and the capacity to organize and manage are still lacking and weak, with limited experience in organizing activities. In type 2 and type 3 communes, only 1 cultural and social officer is assigned, the workload is large, so there are many difficulties and pressures in performing assigned tasks. The allocation of resources to build cultural houses and communal stadiums according to Resolution No. 30/2020/NQ-HDND dated December 13, 2020 of the Provincial People's Council on policies to support the construction of cultural and sports institutions at the grassroots level in Nghe An province faces many difficulties.

Looking for solutions

At the conference, representatives of leaders of departments, branches and localities exchanged opinions and analyzed to clarify the causes leading to difficulties and limitations such as: The area of ​​grassroots cultural activities is wide, mainly in mountainous areas, budget revenue and life in rural and mountainous areas of ethnic minorities are still difficult.

Representatives of Nam Dan district leaders and a number of departments and branches attended the conference. Photo: Minh Quan

In addition, the leadership and direction of some local Party committees and authorities have not been properly focused, specific, in-depth, and regular, and have not properly recognized the position, role, and importance of culture for sustainable development. Investment resources for cultural and sports institutions from the province, district, and commune, although receiving attention, are still low and do not meet the requirements. The mobilization of social resources from the people is still limited, especially in localities with difficult socio-economic conditions.

Delegates also proposed a number of solutions to improve the effectiveness of grassroots cultural and sports institutions such as: Having a policy to arrange cultural and social civil servants to meet task requirements; increasing the level of support for building cultural houses in villages and hamlets; soon having a plan to resolve surplus cultural institutions after merging villages and hamlets to create investment sources to build standard cultural institutions...

Director of the Department of Culture and Sports Tran Thi My Hanh received and discussed the opinions.

Concluding the conference, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Bui Dinh Long acknowledged the achievements of the Department of Culture and Sports and localities in building and promoting the effectiveness of the grassroots cultural and sports institution system.

Agreeing with the difficulties and limitations in the operation of the cultural and sports institutions system in the province that the delegates pointed out at the conference, the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee suggested that the districts need to have their own Resolution on promoting grassroots cultural and sports institutions, thereby having a mechanism to mobilize resources to build cultural institutions.

In addition, to promote the system of grassroots cultural and sports institutions, with the invested institutions, the Department of Culture and Sports needs to coordinate with departments and branches to have a synchronous use plan to avoid waste, and at the same time mobilize resources to reinvest in cultural and sports activities at the grassroots. With the institutions about to be invested, it is necessary to comprehensively evaluate the items, advise the Provincial People's Committee not to invest in unnecessary items.

Comrade Bui Dinh Long - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee gave a speech at the conference. Photo: Minh Quan

Comrade Bui Dinh Long also requested relevant sectors and localities to strengthen professional guidance for grassroots cultural and sports institutions; organize cultural, sports and entertainment activities suitable to ethnic and regional characteristics associated with the real needs of people and target groups, attracting people to participate in activities./.