Efforts to sustainably establish criteria

(Baonghean) - Over the years, Thanh Chuong district has built 9 communes that meet the standards of new rural areas: Thanh Linh, Thanh Duong, Thanh Giang, Thanh Dong, Thanh Van, Thanh Tien, Thanh Hung, Thanh Lien and Thanh Luong, and 12 communes that meet 15 criteria.

Nghe An province provides 100% funding for communes planning to build new rural areas.

Tea plantations help alleviate poverty in Hanh Lam commune. Photo: Phuong Thuy

Overcoming difficulties

Just before Tet (Lunar New Year), we visited Hanh Lam commune, which is striving to achieve the new rural development goals in 2017. Lush green acacia forests, ready for harvest, stood alongside young acacia plantations on both sides of the Ho Chi Minh Highway, covered with plastic sheeting to protect them from the cold, in preparation for spring reforestation.

According to Mr. Tran Dinh Son, Chairman of the People's Committee of Hanh Lam commune: In 2016, the total production value of the commune reached 157.85 billion VND, an increase of 26.8% compared to the same period. Of which, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries accounted for 82.082 billion VND. The reason for the high value in forestry is that in the past year, the forest-garden economy has developed very strongly, and the economy of planting trees for paper pulp has helped alleviate poverty, with many households becoming wealthy.

Locals only need to sell 5-7 hectares of acacia trees to earn 500 million VND, while many households own up to 10 or 20 hectares. Forestry and farming have developed strongly, so in 2016 the commune planted an additional 100 hectares of forest. The commune also planted 132 hectares of cassava, 18 hectares of sugarcane, and over 20 hectares of new tea plantations.

Discussing the achievements in building new rural areas, Chairman of the People's Committee of Hanh Lam commune, Tran Dinh Son, added: With the great efforts of the Party Committee and the people of the commune, Hanh Lam commune has now met 14 out of 19 criteria, including those with relatively high achievement rates such as schools, income, housing, and security and order. Some criteria have not yet been met, such as transportation, environment, and cultural facilities. The total number of kilometers of roads that need to be completed to meet the standards (village roads, alleys, etc.) is 14.78 km, and the total amount of cement needed is 2,200 tons. Therefore, we hope to receive the cement soon to concrete the sections of roads that have not yet met the standards.

Meanwhile, the new rural development movement in Thanh Tien commune is deepening. As one of the first communes to achieve the new rural development goals, Thanh Tien is proud to have a well-developed and modern infrastructure, with a solid transportation system and schools. Within the commune, the Venture garment factory is providing employment for hundreds of workers.

The movements for building new rural areas continue to be implemented by all sectors and levels, achieving increasingly high effectiveness and creating widespread impact among the people. Through these movements, many exemplary individuals have emerged who have donated land, assets, money, and construction projects for new rural areas. The total investment in building new rural areas amounted to 106.55 billion VND. Of this, the provincial budget contributed 42.83 billion VND (40.20%), businesses contributed 28 billion VND (26.28%), and the people mobilized 24 billion VND (22.52%).

Those who have left their hometown in Thanh Tien have contributed resources to building a prosperous and strong commune, such as investing in a stadium, attracting factories, contributing money for roads, and building a cultural center... To date, the average income has reached 26.5 million VND/person/year.

Tray seedling production in Thanh Lien commune (Thanh Chuong district). Photo: Dinh Ha

Ensuring the sustainability of the criteria.

Building on the achievements of the new rural development movement, Thanh Chuong district is striving to bring its communes to the finish line of the new rural development program in 2017 and subsequent years in a sustainable manner, avoiding the pursuit of superficial achievements. From the beginning of the year, the district's Steering Committee has decisively directed communes to accelerate the implementation of criteria and contents that have not yet met the standards. Simultaneously, it has instructed relevant departments and members of the district's Steering Committee to regularly monitor the situation at the grassroots level to provide guidance, direction, and resolve difficulties and obstacles during implementation. In 2017, Thanh Chuong district aimed to bring communes such as Hanh Lam, Thanh Yen, Thanh Hoa, Thanh Khai, Thanh Tuong, etc., to the finish line of the new rural development program, while also learning from experience and addressing the issue of outstanding debts related to the new rural development program in some communes.

As a predominantly agricultural district, Thanh Chuong faces significant challenges in achieving sustainable new rural development standards due to the weather's dependence on crops and agricultural products. Furthermore, the transportation system is inadequate, with many unpaved and dilapidated roads, and residents in many communes still rely on ferries to cross rivers. Environmental hygiene awareness remains limited.

Therefore, for communes that have achieved the New Rural Area status, it is necessary to launch a movement to improve the quality of the criteria, enhance the quality of the material and spiritual lives of the people, and ensure the sustainable achievement of the criteria, especially in terms of living standards, income, culture, and rural environmental sanitation.

For communes on the path to building new rural areas, continue to mobilize and integrate resources and contributions from organizations, individuals, the people, and those who have left their hometowns to work elsewhere, combined with local budgets and support from higher-level state budgets to implement the program. Develop production, eradicate hunger and reduce poverty, participate in vocational training and education; build a cultural life and lifestyle for the community in residential clusters.

Chrysanthemum gardens in Thanh Linh commune are ready for harvest and sale during Tet (Lunar New Year) (Photo: Phuong Thuy).

Mr. Tran Phi Hung, Head of the Agriculture Department of Thanh Chuong District, said: The Department will guide, direct, and urge the pilot communes to conduct self-assessments of their local implementation results, complete reports and documents, and publicly post them in accordance with the regulations in Circular 40/TT-BNNPTNT of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The Department will also participate with local communities in resolving difficulties, building production development models, supplementing production, and guiding appropriate occupations and forms of production organization in rural agriculture, contributing to accelerating the progress of building new rural areas in the district.

Chau Lan