Concerns and responsibilities for the West

The recent visit and work in Ky Son and Tuong Duong districts by Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Dac Vinh left many concerns and expectations for changes for the land and people of the Western region of the province. Building a solid solidarity bloc, performing well the tasks of national defense and security, promoting hunger eradication and poverty reduction... are the directives emphasized by the Provincial Party Secretary to the above two localities.

Before working with the Standing Committee of Ky Son District Party Committee, the Provincial Party Secretary visited and learned about the socio-economic situation of some communes in the district. The first stop on the survey trip of the Provincial Party Secretary and the delegation was Bao Nam commune, about 17 km from the center of Muong Xen. With a population of 638 households, 3,562 people, living on an area of ​​6,105.95 hectares, Bao Nam is a commune with a large land area and a sparse population.

Comrade Nguyen Dac Vinh visited the economic model of the youth business village in Tam Hop commune (Tuong Duong).

However, the rare flat land is reserved for building houses, the rest is mainly hills and mountains. With such unfavorable geographical conditions, up to now, despite the great attention of the Party, the State and authorities at all levels, Bao Nam is still one of the communes with special difficulties (the poverty rate accounts for 79.9%).

After listening to the leaders of Bao Nam commune report on the socio-economic, defense and security situation of the locality, the Provincial Party Secretary raised major concerns and at the same time suggested tasks and solutions for leaders at all levels here in the face of the reality that people do not have enough necessary food sources, when the area of ​​wet rice here is insignificant, mainly slash-and-burn farming, low-yield hybrid corn; average income per capita is only 4.5 million VND/year. Then there are backward production practices, dependence on nature; still heavily dependent on the idea of ​​waiting and relying...

Comrade Nguyen Dac Vinh gives gifts to poor households in Tam Hop commune (Tuong Duong).

Arriving at Tay Son commune, the Provincial Party Secretary was truly delighted with the changes in this remote commune, mainly inhabited by Mong people; although there are still many difficulties and shortages, Tay Son has achieved very encouraging results. From a commune with a poverty rate of 70% in 2011, it has now decreased to less than 49%, with many highly effective models such as raising buffaloes and cows, growing bobo, ginger and native cucumbers.

The trip to the communes in Ky Son district is to have practical bases to serve the specific and realistic working content of the Provincial Party Secretary with the leaders of Ky Son district. In response to the proposals and recommendations of Ky Son district, mainly asking for capital to invest in construction, upgrading and repairing infrastructure to develop the economy, build new rural areas, as well as funding to support the lives of grassroots cadres, the Provincial Party Secretary expressed his sympathy and asked the departments and branches to give specific and accurate opinions to work with the province and district to create a new driving force for Ky Son. The Provincial Party Secretary said that in order for Ky Son to escape poverty sustainably, in addition to the support of the province, the district, communes and ethnic minorities must promote the will to escape poverty, work together, find a direction suitable to natural conditions and climate to develop the economy...

The Provincial Party Secretary also paid much attention to the difficulties in building new rural areas in the locality. He affirmed: “Building new rural areas is right, but in the current context, building new rural areas in poor districts and poor communes must first ensure enough food, enough clothing, and enough conditions for children to study. If we stick to the criteria, and then when we have money, we invest in unnecessary projects while people's lives remain unchanged, then new rural areas are not real. The most real thing now is to research economic models on steep hillsides, find suitable varieties of plants and animals; expand models that have brought about efficiency...”.

Returning to Tuong Duong, also a poor district according to Resolution 30a of the Government, the Provincial Party Secretary and the delegation visited and learned about the lives of the people of the particularly difficult border commune of Tam Hop - the residential area of ​​3 ethnic minorities Mong, Thai and Tay Poong. This is where Tam Hop Border Guard Station is located, managing 9 km of border. The officers and soldiers of the station always uphold the task of patrolling and strictly controlling activities on the border, ensuring that national sovereignty is always maintained, actively fighting against crime. In addition, determining that the relationship between the army and the people must always be close, united, and help each other, the unit has been implementing models and programs to help people develop the economy, eliminate hunger and reduce poverty. 2,000 m2 of corn in Huoi Son village is one of the results of the efforts of the soldiers to serve as a model for people to learn and replicate...

The Provincial Party Secretary and the delegation also visited the economic models being piloted at Tam Hop Border Youth Village - a unit that has been operating for more than a year but has achieved many commendable results: such as supporting production, changing farming mindset and improving the lives of ethnic minorities in the area. Highly appreciating the models of growing off-season vegetables, raising black pigs, black chickens, growing passion fruit, red turmeric, four-season lemons, fish ponds, etc. of the project, Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Dac Vinh pointed out that in the coming time, Tam Hop Border Youth Village needs to continue to replicate effective pilot models, propagate, guide and transfer science and technology to households in the project area, raise awareness, change mindset, and transform the way of doing business for local people.

Visiting and giving gifts to poor households in the two villages of Huoi Son and Pha Lom of Tam Hop commune, the Provincial Party Secretary hoped that people would strive to overcome difficulties and improve their lives. He also noted that all levels, sectors and units need to focus on building solidarity between cadres, soldiers, and members of the Youth Volunteer Team with ethnic minorities, aiming at the immediate practical goal of ensuring food security for the people, ensuring that their children can go to school; the concern and responsibility to bring a better life to people is also an effective way to reduce problems such as human trafficking, illegal migration, drugs, etc.

In the discussion with the Standing Committee of the Tuong Duong District Party Committee and relevant departments, branches and sectors, in addition to acknowledging the positive results that the district has achieved in the past time, the Provincial Party Secretary pointed out: In order for Tuong Duong not to fall behind other localities, the district needs to have some breakthroughs, in parallel with reviewing the goals and targets to set out action programs, projects and plans to implement the Resolution of the Party Congresses at all levels for the 2016-2020 term, and in the immediate future, making efforts to successfully complete the 2016 plan. In addition, the district needs to pay more practical attention to the lives of the people, especially households in the resettlement areas of hydropower projects in the area. This is a truly pressing and urgent issue at present, if not resolved well, it may potentially cause many other problems and consequences. The Provincial Party Committee will direct departments and sectors to join in helping Tuong Duong to solve the problem, responding to the district's legitimate proposals.

The visit and work of the Provincial Party Secretary and the working delegation to the two districts of area 30a in the southwest of the province left behind great concerns and required the common responsibility of the Party committees and authorities at all levels towards the goal of hunger eradication, poverty reduction, and improving the lives of ethnic minorities in the remote border areas. And the suggestive instructions of the Provincial Party Secretary have added motivation for the cadres and people of the two districts of Ky Son and Tuong Duong to unite, choose a practical direction to advance in all aspects in the coming time...

Canh Nam - Thu Giang