Struggling to find solutions for the goal of turning Nghe An into the center of science and technology in the North Central region

On the morning of August 7, Nghe An Provincial Party Committee announced the decision to establish inspection team No. 4 to inspect, review and evaluate the implementation of Resolution No. 06-NQ/TU, dated December 14, 2016 of the Provincial Party Committee Executive Committee and conduct an inspection at the Department of Science and Technology.

Inspection delegation No. 4 is headed by Comrade Nguyen Xuan Son - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; Comrade Nguyen Thi Thu Huong - Member of the Standing Committee, Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department is deputy head of the delegation. Photo: Mai Hoa

Science and technology operating expenses have not yet met the 2% of total budget expenditure as prescribed.

The Provincial Party Committee's inspection delegation assessed that after more than 2 years of implementing Resolution No. 06-NQ/TU, the awareness of departments, branches and localities about the role of science and technology (S&T) has been raised.

Science and technology activities have changed, focusing on 6 key programs, and in each program, priority content is determined for each year, overcoming the situation of dispersion.

Science and technology activities take enterprises as the main subjects, currently 80-90% of science and technology projects are implemented by enterprises. Science and technology activities are directed towards specific targets and addresses with the program of 100 products with scientific and technological impact.

Comrade Nguyen Thi Thu Huong - Member of the Standing Committee, Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department requested the Department of Science and Technology to clarify a number of issues of concern. Photo: Mai Hoa

Currently, the whole province has 70 products with scientific and technological impacts at each stage, 46 products have comprehensive impacts, from breeding, planting, processing, intellectual property, labeling, and participating in fairs.

Science and technology activities have also impacted the value chain and were initiated with some orange and grapefruit products, and now 30 products with traceable origins. Science and technology has also focused on researching, preserving and promoting rare genetic resources such as golden flower tea, Puxailaileng ginseng, and mu tun trees...

Scientific and technological activities in the field of social sciences and humanities have also created a number of products, on which the province has issued policies and resolutions such as the province's socio-economic development strategy; solutions for developing community tourism associated with hunger eradication and poverty reduction in Western Nghe An; research on Thai script, promoting the movement of learning Thai language, etc.

Director of the Department of Science and Technology Tran Quoc Thanh said that in order for Nghe An to become a science and technology center in the North Central region, three factors are needed: Forming a strong team of science and technology orientators and consultants for the provinces; Forming a science and technology startup center; Forming a center for training science and technology human resources. Photo: Mai Hoa

The inspection team also noted a number of difficulties and limitations in the implementation of Resolution No. 06-NQ/TU. It emerged that the technological level of most enterprises was at an average level, leading to low quality and competitiveness of products on the market.

Mobilizing social resources in the field of science and technology is not high; meanwhile, the budget for investment in science and technology is limited, not ensuring 2% of total budget expenditure according to the Law on Science and Technology (currently less than 0.5%).

The imbalance in science and technology staff is mainly concentrated in agriculture and education, and there is a lack of experts and specialists in economic management, pharmaceutical science and technology, processing technology, biotechnology, etc.

There are no good factors or solutions for Nghe An to become a science and technology center in the North Central region.

Comrade Nguyen Xuan Son - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council requested that through the inspection, solutions be proposed to turn Nghe An into a science and technology center in the North Central region. Photo: Mai Hoa

Towards the Science and Technology Center of the North Central Region

Speaking at the inspection, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Nguyen Xuan Son emphasized that science and technology play a very important role in socio-economic development and in practice, in recent times, science and technology activities have made many efforts with many targets achieved and exceeded as set out in the resolution.

Notably, the contribution of science and technology to economic growth measured by the TFP index has reached 34.9%/35% compared to the resolution's target by 2020.

The technological level of enterprises producing the province's main products reaches 15/10-15% compared to the resolution target by 2020.

Spirulina production using Japanese technology in Nghe An. Photo courtesy

The Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee also said that, compared to the requirements for science and technology development and the socio-economic development of the province, there are still many things that need to be continued to consider and research to promote. In particular, the Politburo has set out the requirement to build Nghe An into a science and technology center in the North Central region, so it is necessary to set out requirements and solutions to achieve this goal.

Of particular concern is the speed of technological innovation in enterprises. We must make enterprises become units that strongly deploy and innovate science and technology; and develop many science and technology enterprises and high-tech enterprises.

Promote and replicate high-tech agricultural models, information technology parks, and high-tech zones; promote research and application of science and technology in urgent areas of the province, such as land management, waste treatment, etc.

The Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee requested the Department of Science and Technology to pay attention to building a team of scientists; research and innovate the science and technology management mechanism in accordance with the market mechanism to remove difficulties and obstacles, and promote the development of science and technology in the province.