New Year's greetings letter from the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Ho Duc Phuoc.

Dear fellow citizens, comrades, and soldiers of the armed forces of our province!

On the occasion of welcoming the Lunar New Year of the Snake 2013, I would like to extend my warmest wishes for health, happiness, and success in life to all compatriots, comrades, and soldiers of the armed forces of my province; and to all compatriots and comrades from Nghe An who are studying, working, and living in all parts of the country and abroad.

Looking back at 2012, the international, national, and provincial situations presented numerous challenges. Under the leadership of the Central Party Committee, the Government, and the Provincial Party Standing Committee, along with the unity, cooperation, and efforts of the entire Party organization, the people, and the business community, the province's socio-economic development achieved many important accomplishments.



Economic growth reached 6.63% (the national average was estimated at 5.3%); food production reached 1,167,203 tons, achieving 105.95% of the plan. New rural development saw many positive changes; planning was established and approved for 100% of communes; investment was made in upgrading and constructing over 2,300 km of rural roads, including 380 km of concrete roads and many other socio-economic infrastructure projects; 305 effective economic models were developed. Despite the general difficulties, budget revenue still reached over 5,700 billion VND; average per capita income reached 20.28 million VND, an increase of 14.3% compared to the previous year; total social investment attracted over 28,000 billion VND, with 18 out of 24 targets met or exceeded. In particular, the socio-cultural sector achieved many successes, with the percentage of schools meeting national standards reaching 50.2%; over 21,000 students passed university and college entrance exams (the highest number nationwide), with 77 students achieving 27 points or more, ranking third nationwide. 91 students achieved national-level academic excellence awards, ranking second nationwide. Healthcare, poverty reduction, job creation, and social security continued to receive attention, with the poverty rate decreasing by 3.3% to 15.35%, and social security and order were ensured. Traffic safety improved across all three criteria, and international cooperation and foreign affairs developed. Several socio-economic sectors ranked among the top in the North Central region, such as trade and services, tourism; information technology development, banking development, education and training, labor export, and poverty reduction.

In 2013, a pivotal year in the five-year plan, the global, national, and provincial economies were projected to continue facing numerous difficulties. The tasks facing the entire Party Committee and people of the province were extremely challenging: to effectively mobilize and utilize resources, significantly improve the investment environment, continue striving to promote sustainable production and business development, and create momentum for achieving the goals of the 2011-2015 five-year socio-economic development plan; to ensure social security and welfare, improve people's living standards; and to maintain political stability, national defense and security, and social order and safety.

To ensure that everyone, every family, welcomes the New Year in joy and happiness, I hope that every citizen, philanthropist, and business community will cooperate well with all levels of government to promote charitable activities, helping disadvantaged policy beneficiary families, the poor, the lonely, and those without support; and enabling soldiers on the border and islands to celebrate Tet and enjoy the New Year in a warm and meaningful way.

Celebrating the Party and the New Year, I am confident that the Party Committee, the people of all ethnic groups, and the armed forces of the province will continue to uphold the spirit of unity and revolution, develop internal strengths, and together with compatriots and comrades far from home, strive to successfully fulfill the tasks of 2013, determined to build a prosperous, strong, and civilized Nghe An province, worthy of being the homeland of the great President Ho Chi Minh.

Wishing everyone and every family a joyful, healthy, and happy New Year!