Efforts in Huu Kiem commune, a mountainous area.

(Baonghean) - As a difficult mountainous commune with many hardships in people's lives, Huu Kiem commune is now considered to have achieved many remarkable results in the new rural development movement, becoming the first commune in Ky Son district to complete the program.

Regarding Huu Kiem commune, the first commune in the mountainous Ky Son district to achieve the New Rural Development goal, after meeting and exchanging ideas with the local ethnic people, we found that although their lives are still full of difficulties and shortages, they do not rely on the State for support in implementing the New Rural Development movement.

Ms. Luong Thi Ninh from Na Chao village, Huu Kiem commune, said: “Our village was selected by the commune as one of the four villages to register for the New Rural Village program in 2016. However, despite the enthusiastic participation of the villagers, some criteria remain unmet. In 2017, following the commune's guidance, the villagers continued their efforts, focusing most on how to increase income. Currently, the income criterion is not fully met, and the people here lack stable employment, relying mainly on livestock farming and production. Therefore, my family is trying to raise more pigs and chickens, buy breeding cows, and actively cultivate and care for rice paddies to achieve high yields.”

Road construction in Na Luong 1 village, Huu Kiem commune (Ky Son district). Photo: Xuan Hoang

Mr. Nguyen Huu Luong, Chairman of the People's Committee of Huu Kiem commune, said: "As a locality still facing many difficulties, we were very worried when the district directed us to achieve the New Rural Area (NRA) goal in 2018. The commune has identified several challenging criteria: transportation, environment, income, poverty rate, etc. Therefore, the goal is to tackle the easier criteria first, then the more difficult ones, and address problems as we go."

However, to achieve the status of a New Rural Commune, it is first necessary to build New Rural Villages according to the directives of higher authorities. Therefore, in 2016, 4 out of 9 villages registered to achieve the New Rural Commune status, including Khe Ty, Na Luong 1, Na Chao, and Hom village. By the end of the year, the assessment showed that 3 villages had met 13 out of 15 criteria; the most difficult criteria remained income and the poverty rate. Recognizing that these two criteria are related, the commune will focus on increasing people's income by developing agricultural and livestock models, encouraging people to actively reclaim paddy fields, and improving the production of woven products in the craft villages of Binh Son 1 and Binh Son 2. The commune will focus on directing and organizing the construction of infrastructure projects serving production and people's lives; mobilizing contributions from the people combined with local budgets, and maximizing support from the State budget.

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Over the past six years, Huu Kiem commune has received 600 tons of cement from the Provincial People's Committee, along with contributions from the people in terms of labor and materials such as sand and gravel, to pave 1,000 meters of rural roads and build volleyball courts in Na Luong 1 and Na Chao villages. Notably, the commune government identified the environmental criteria as a challenge and supported the construction of 228 toilets, 1,000 household waste collection pits, and assisted 30 households with temporary houses in leveling their floors and maintaining and repairing irrigation canals. In addition, the commune mobilized contributions from the people and organizations operating in the area to purchase tables and chairs for the meeting hall, and decorative sets for the cultural houses in Khe Ty, Na Chao, Hom, and Dinh Son 1 villages, with a total cost exceeding 120 million VND.

In late 2016 alone, Huu Kiem commune received cement from the government and mobilized local people to pour concrete for 3 km of inter-village roads in Khe Ty, Na Luong 1, and Ba villages. Notably, the commune government also mobilized agencies and organizations from the district and province to contribute nearly 100 million VND to purchase sand and gravel for the villages, thus saving the villagers from having to contribute money for the sand and gravel, only providing their labor for road construction.

By doing so, with the support of the District People's Committee, Huu Kiem will implement the concreting of the inter-village road connecting National Highway 7 to Dinh Son 1 and Dinh Son 2 villages, a length of 6.5 km. Opening internal field roads and mountain roads in Huu Kiem commune will create favorable conditions for ethnic minority people to travel and transport agricultural products. During the implementation process, many enthusiastic and responsible individuals have emerged, with many donating land and cutting down trees in their gardens to create smooth and wide village roads. In addition, the lighting system, schools, and health stations in the commune are gradually being invested in and upgraded, contributing to improving the material and spiritual lives of the people.

With the goal of achieving the new rural standard by 2018 according to the set roadmap, the Huu Kiem commune government has developed specific plans and solutions to strive to achieve the remaining 7 criteria: income, poverty reduction, education, culture, cultural infrastructure, irrigation and environment, and transportation.

Hoang Xuan