Creating rapid and sustainable development

(Baonghean) - As a remote and disadvantaged commune in Anh Son district, Binh Son commune has achieved many positive results during the past term. The lessons learned include fostering unity, cooperation, and the striving efforts of each cadre, Party member, and citizen. Based on this, the commune's Party Committee is confidently entering its new term, 2015-2020, with the goal of creating rapid and sustainable development.

Farmers in Hamlet 15, Binh Son Commune (Anh Son District) harvest sugarcane. Photo: LM

From Anh Son district town, after traveling nearly 25 km along a wide, open inter-communal road, we arrived at Binh Son commune. Throughout the commune and its hamlets, red and yellow flags adorned the streets, and everywhere the people were enthusiastic and eager to work hard and achieve accomplishments to celebrate the commune's Party Congress for the 2015-2020 term.

Binh Son commune has over 2,700 hectares of natural land, a population of 4,400, and 16 hamlets. Land resources are scattered, transportation is difficult, and the commune is divided into two areas: the right bank and the left bank of the Con River. At the beginning of the term (2010), the commune had one of the highest poverty rates in the district, exceeding 55%. Faced with these difficulties, the Party Committee and the local government have always been concerned about finding ways to alleviate poverty. Mr. Nguyen Huu Khuong, Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune, said: Implementing the Resolution of the 17th Party Congress of the commune, term 2010-2015, the Party Committee, the government, and the people of the commune have made many efforts to complete the targets set by the Congress. Identifying economic development as the key focus to accelerate poverty reduction, the commune has developed projects such as: a land conversion project, a cattle farming project, and a project to improve neglected gardens.

The Party Committee focused on directing the government and mass organizations to implement solutions such as: prioritizing crop conversion, planning for two main crops, sugarcane and rice, considering this a breakthrough. Along with land consolidation (in 2012), the average land use per household decreased to 2 plots. The commune has planned concentrated areas of 210 hectares of rice, 350 hectares of sugarcane, 50 hectares of corn, 150 hectares of acacia for raw materials, and nearly 100 hectares of cassava intercropped with acacia. In addition, emphasis was placed on developing livestock farming, especially raising cattle in enclosed pens at households. The entire commune has developed over 660 cows, over 1,000 buffaloes, 5,000 pigs, and 50,000 poultry.

Along with production development, attracting investment for the construction of new rural infrastructure has been a priority. Over the past four years, the commune has mobilized over 50 billion VND from Program 135, provincial budget support projects, and contributions from the people to invest in and complete over 15 km of concrete roads, 35 km of gravel roads, and upgrade 9 water dams, expanding the irrigation area for rice cultivation from 80 hectares/year to 150 hectares/year. In addition, a new multi-story office building, a multi-functional cultural center, and 3 new village cultural centers have been constructed, bringing the number of hamlets with cultural centers to 15 out of 16 hamlets. Two transformer stations and two kindergarten classrooms have also been built. Notably, the Cay Mit suspension bridge connecting hamlets on the left and right banks of the Con River, worth 21 billion VND, has been completed, facilitating trade between the people and the communes of Thanh, Tho, and Duc Son. The 18km-long rescue and relief road on the left bank of the Con River, costing over 200 billion VND, is currently under construction, connecting Binh Son to neighboring areas and National Highway 7A. This will contribute to stabilizing people's lives and developing the economy of the entire raw material region.

Thanks to infrastructure investment and appropriate economic development policies, the potential and strengths of local land and human resources have been effectively exploited. During the past term, the total production value of the commune reached 88 billion VND, with a relatively high economic growth rate averaging 9.8%. Agricultural production value increased from 33 million VND/hectare (2010) to 38 million VND/hectare (2015). The economic structure shifted in the right direction, with the proportion of agricultural and forestry labor decreasing by 2.4%, and industrial and service labor increasing by 1.2%. Compared to the beginning of the term, average per capita income reached 19.5 million VND/year (an increase of 7 million VND), and the poverty rate decreased to 24% (a decrease of 21% compared to the beginning of the term).

Along with economic development, the fields of culture, education, health, and security and defense have also achieved many successes. To date, 50% of the villages in the commune have been recognized as cultural units; over 92% of households have television sets; the health station has met the standards for phase 2 health care; 100% of students in the commune have passed their graduation exams at all levels and teachers meet the standards; and two kindergartens and primary schools have achieved national standard school status…

To achieve these results, the Party Committee of Binh Son commune has focused on closely leading the government and mass organizations in accordance with the practical situation. Mr. Duong Cong Ngoc, Secretary of the Party Committee of Binh Son commune, said: "From the beginning of the term, the Party Committee developed regulations and took the lead in directing the work, while the People's Committee and the Fatherland Front organizations and departments developed regulations for coordinating the implementation of the resolution's objectives. The main focus was on developing a plan for the development of key crops and livestock to increase people's income. Along with that, we strengthened the inspection and supervision work of the Party organizations…"

Road construction in Binh Son commune (Anh Son district). Photo: LM

According to the assessment of the commune Party Committee, although many successes have been achieved, the economy in the commune has not developed commensurate with its potential; structural transformation is slow, and people's lives still face many difficulties. In particular, there is still a situation where cadres and Party members are not exemplary and still have a mentality of dependence... To overcome these shortcomings, for the 2015-2020 term, the commune has set the following goals: Focus on improving the capacity and fighting strength of the Party organization, building a strong political system; reforming the activities of the Fatherland Front and people's organizations; developing the economy rapidly and sustainably; significantly improving the cultural, material, and spiritual lives of the people, basically eliminating hunger and rapidly reducing poverty; creating strong changes in education, training, and the application of science and technology; maintaining political stability and social order and security.

The Party Committee of Binh Son commune has set the following goals for the next term: achieving an average annual growth rate of 8-9%; per capita income of 32 million VND/year; total food production of 2,760 tons/year; sugarcane area of ​​1,600 hectares; tea area of ​​200 hectares; cassava area of ​​700 hectares; reducing the poverty rate to 11%; over 67% of schools meeting national standards (stage II); 80% of households achieving the status of "cultural family"; and over 85% of units and villages meeting cultural standards and having cultural institutions meeting the standards of the new rural development program; 75-80% of households having access to clean water; and 100% of militia and reserve forces receiving training according to plan. The commune Party Committee will be rated as clean and strong, the government will be rated as excellent, and over 50% of the Party branches under the Party Committee will be rated as clean and strong. On average, 5-6 outstanding individuals are admitted into the Party each year. The goal is for Binh Son commune to complete all 19 criteria for building a new rural area by 2020.

With a spirit of unity, innovation, democracy, discipline, and sustainable development, the Party Committee, government, and people of Binh Son commune strive to overcome all difficulties and challenges to become one of the relatively prosperous communes with rapid and sustainable development in Anh Son district.

Luong Mai