Building Con Cuong district towards ecological urban area

Mr. Luong Dinh Viet - Member of the Standing Committee of the District Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Con Cuong district discussed with Nghe An Newspaper about this issue.

Reporter: After the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2022, what difficulties did Con Cuong district face in the local socio-economic development? What action directions did the district propose to overcome difficulties and develop?

Mr. Luong Dinh Viet:Con Cuongis a mountainous district with a complex terrain, divided into many ravines, streams and steep slopes. The geographical location is far from the center, so attracting investment is difficult. People lack land for production. The infrastructure is still weak, not meeting the requirements of the new period. The intellectual level of the people is uneven, there are still many backward customs and practices. The quality of human resources is still low. A part of cadres, party members and people still have the mentality of waiting and relying on others... Besides, the districtCon Cuongalso have to regularly suffer the consequences of natural disasters such as storms, floods, and droughts.

Mountains and rivers of Tra Lan region. Photo: Thanh Cuong

In addition to the above problems, in 2022, Con Cuong district as well as other localities in the province will also face other difficulties, such as: Severe weather conditions, prolonged heat and drought; outbreaks of some diseases; sharp increase in gasoline, oil and fertilizer prices, significantly affecting the increase in input costs of businesses, especially businesses operating in the fields of agriculture, transportation, production and trade in the area.

Faced with that situation, Con Cuong district has thoroughly grasped and consistently implemented the action motto set out by the Government and the Provincial People's Committee in 2022, which is "Solidarity, discipline, proactive adaptation, safety and efficiency, recovery and development". All levels, sectors and all people and businesses have constantly strived to compete in labor and production. Thanks to that, Con Cuong district has gradually overcome difficulties and achieved some encouraging results. In 2022, the district is expected to achieve and exceed 23/25 targets of the Socio-Economic Development Plan assigned by the District People's Council. Of which, economic growth is estimated at about 7.1%.

PV: Could you tell us more specifically about the achievements of Con Cuong district in 2022?

Mr. Luong Dinh Viet:In 2022, Con Cuong district achieved 5 groups of positive results. Firstly, in the first 9 months of the year alone, the economy had positive changes, the growth rate reached 6.22% over the same period; the budget revenue in the area reached 16 billion VND, equal to 78.18% of the province's estimate. The new rural construction program continued to receive attention and direction (3/12 communes met new rural standards); The "One Commune One Product" (OCOP) program was effectively implemented with 13 OCOP products (7 4-star products and 6 3-star products)... In the area, there are a number of modelsmanufactureeffective, creating livelihoods for people. Infrastructure continues to receive focused investment.

Currently, Con Cuong district is practicing building many OCOP products - tourism products to serve tourists. Photo: Ba Hau

Second, the quality of education has been improved and achieved good results, ranking first among the mountainous districts of the province. People's health care has been paid attention to, the number of doctors at commune health stations is higher than the average of the whole province. Activities to preserve and promote the good traditional cultural values ​​of ethnic groups continue to be promoted. Poverty reduction programs and projects, ethnic and mountainous policies, social security have been effectively implemented... During the year, people's lives continued to improve. The district has effectively and promptly implemented regimes and policies, taking care of policy families, people with meritorious services to the revolution, poor households, near-poor households, and households in especially difficult circumstances.

Third, Con Cuong district continues to do a good job of preserving land and forests. The ecological environment in the district and at Pu Mat Biosphere Reserve Center is cared for, preserved and protected, creating a balanced ecosystem.

Fourth, national defense, security, order and social safety continue to be maintained; especially security.border, security in ethnic minority areas. The district has proactively done a good job in foreign affairs and friendly cooperation with localities of Laos that share the border.

Mr. Luong Dinh Viet talks with Nghe An Newspaper. Photo: Thanh Chung

Finally, the collective leadership, cadres and people in the district are always united, unified and in agreement in leadership, direction and implementation of socio-economic development tasks in the area.

These achievements are very encouraging, however, Con Cuong district still has many shortcomings that need to be overcome in the coming time such as: Economic development is still slow, not commensurate with the potential of the district. Budget revenue in the area is still limited. The disbursement rate of public investment plans is low. Although there have been efforts, administrative reform has not met the requirements...

PV: As Spring is coming and Tet is coming, what tasks and solutions has Con Cuong district proposed to improve people's lives, help people have a warm Tet, and create a premise for development for the following year?

Mr. Luong Dinh Viet:After the Covid-19 pandemic, all aspects of life of people in Con Cuong district have improved. However, to have sustainable development, ensure food security, and ensure that everyone has a warm and prosperous Tet, there are still many issues that need to be taken care of. In the coming time, Con Cuong district will continue to focus on preventing and fighting the Covid-19 pandemic in the new situation; flexibly and effectively implementing the goal of both preventing and fighting the pandemic and recovering and developing the socio-economy.

Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee visited and worked at a medicinal plant nursery in Con Cuong district. Photo: Ba Hau

The district is focusing on directing people to harvest the winter crop well; at the same time, promoting the implementation of the spring crop, ensuring that planting is in accordance with the season and plan; trying to stabilize livestock and poultry, not allowing epidemics to occur, actively preventing hunger and cold for livestock and poultry. Besides, implementing well the support policies for the poor, for families of people with meritorious services to the revolution in accordance with regulations, ensuring that every family has a Tet holiday... The district will also strive to do a good job in creating jobs, increasing income, improving the lives of workers, especially at community tourism sites.

Reporter: Con Cuong district aims to develop the locality into an eco-tourism city (oriented towards 2030). Can you tell us more about the solutions to achieve this goal?

Mr. Luong Dinh Viet:Aiming at the goal of building Con Cuong district into an ecological urban town by 2030, the district will take specific steps. In the immediate future, in 2023, on the basis of major target programs, the district will focus on implementing a number of key transport infrastructure projects, aiming to strengthen transport infrastructure, accelerate socio-economic development and ensure national defense and security, namely: Don Phuc - Cam Lam - Lang Khe inter-commune road connecting with Tam Quang - Khe Bo commune (Tuong Duong), 23 km long, to exploit the potential of the left bank; Luc Da - Mon Son inter-commune road down to Anh Son district, 23 km long; Upgrading the tourist route from National Highway 7 to Khe Kem Waterfall Tourist Area, 19 km long... The district focuses on allocating and effectively using 7,000 tons of cement supported by the province to help communes upgrade traffic and irrigation infrastructure, with the basic goal of solidifying the village centers and promoting production.

Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung directs infrastructure construction work in Con Cuong district. Photo: Ba Hau

Regarding long-term solutions, Con Cuong district will mobilize resources to complete and effectively implement plans, ensuring comprehensiveness, science, and suitability with development requirements to exploit the potential and advantages of the locality, as a basis for sustainable socio-economic development. Focus on developing green economy, in an ecological direction; promote trade and service development; invest in tourism development, especially eco-tourism, discovery tourism and community tourism combined with culinary culture for people to participate and create livelihoods for people; exploit relics and scenic spots such as Pu Mat National Park, Khe Kem waterfall, Pha Lai - Giang river, Tham Nang Man...

In addition to strengthening the protection of natural resources and environment; conserving biodiversity, Con Cuong district continues to do well in preserving and promoting the cultural identity of ethnic groups while eliminating backward customs and pushing back social evils; paying attention to vocational training, job creation, labor export; fully and promptly implementing social security policies, supporting production development, diversifying livelihoods to reduce poverty.

PV: Thank you!