Building new rural villages in Tuong Duong

46 copies meet NTM standards

Unlike previous years, returning to Huoi To 1 village, Mai Son commune, a remote commune of the districtXiangyangOn a day at the end of April this year, we were amazed by the "transformation" of the rocky and gravel land. The appearance of the village has not only changed from spacious concrete roads, along which are neat rows of fences, flower beds of all colors, but the temporary thatched, bamboo and thatch houses of the past have also been replaced.

Standing in front of a new, sturdy 3-room house with a corrugated iron roof and a discreet wooden enclosure, Ms. Lo Thi Tiet, a resident, said that thanks to the NTM program, in addition to the family being supported with a cow, with the policy of eliminating dilapidated houses, the commune and village supported the family with 20 million VND from the charity shelter, plus some loans, the family was able to complete the house in a short time.

According to Mrs. Tiết, “We are a poor family, and her son is disabled. It is difficult for the daughter-in-law to take care of her elderly mother, husband, and children alone. Therefore, if the commune and village did not support her, she does not know when the four of them, the mother and children, and the grandmother and grandchildren, would have a private house to live in like they do now.”

The clean vegetable growing model in Phong village, Thach Giam commune helps many households have a stable income. Photo: Document

Talking to us, Ms. Lo Thi Huong - Chairman of Mai Son Commune People's Committee said that currently, Huoi To 1 village has 100% of households with houses that meet the standards of the Ministry of Construction. To achieve the above results, in addition to great efforts from the people, the commune and village have joined hands with the people in utilizing support sources, mobilizing materials, human resources... As of early 2021, the average income per capita in the area reached 35 million VND/year, the poverty rate of the village is 3/78 households, accounting for 3.84%.

Leaving Huoi To 1 village, we arrived at Ngon village, Yen Hoa commune. In the joy of waiting for the new rural village every day, Mr. Luong Van Tan - Village Chief said: Instead of having to go through the muddy, stagnant water-filled road before, today Ngon village has all the roads concreted. Therefore, not only is it convenient to travel, but the crops and livestock that the people produce can also be easily sold.

According to statistics, from implementing the motto "State and people work together", people in the village have contributed working days, contributed money to buy materials, donated land, donated trees... to complete the roads in the whole village, with a budget of 322,518,915 VND. Accordingly, up to now, Ngon village has 2 km of inter-village roads, 100% of the length has been hardened, the alley axis with 649.2m has been filled, no longer muddy in the rainy season.

Fruit tree growing model of a household in Xa Luong commune. Photo: D.C.

Mr. Lo Van Thanh - Chairman of Yen Hoa Commune People's Committee said that since understanding the criteria that need to be achieved in building new rural areas, people have made great efforts. For example, livestock and poultry were previously mainly kept under stilt houses, but now households in the village have separated them from the residential area. Households have been aware of collecting and classifying garbage according to regulations...

It is worth mentioning that, along with support policies, people have become really conscious in economic development. Many models have shown effectiveness such as fattening cattle, raising chickens... Accordingly, average income has increased significantly, currently reaching 35 million VND/person/year; poor households in the village are only 4/65 households, accounting for 6.15%.

Tuong Duong district currently has 46/148 villages meeting NTM standards, of which 44 villages belong to 5 new rural communes (including Thach Giam, Tam Thai, Tam Quang, Tam Dinh, Xa Luong communes), 2 villages belong to communes that have not met the standards: Huoi To I village (Mai Son), Pung village (Yen Thang).

Currently, 2 copies are in the process of being filed, and it is expected that in May 2021, they will be assessed and recognized as meeting the standards, including Ngon copy (Yen Hoa) and Phay copy (Xieng My).

Maintain incentive mechanisms and policies for villages and hamlets

Up to now, the total capital mobilized to invest in building new rural areas in Tuong Duong is 2,770,522 million VND, of which, direct support from the Central Government is 227,429 million VND, source from the province's mechanisms and policies is 28,630 million VND, mobilized from the people is 208,787 million VND, integrated from programs and projects is 2,305,676 million VND.

Accordingly, infrastructure works are built synchronously, cultural institutions ensure people's spiritual and cultural activities. People's lives are gradually stable, income is constantly raised, contributing to reducing the poverty rate from 71.3% (in 2010) to 24.28% now.

As a locality in the few 30a districts in the country, there are currently 5 communes meeting the NTM standards. That result clearly reflects the determination of the entire political system and the solidarity and unanimity of the people. However, thebuilding new rural areasIt is very difficult for communes in mountainous, remote and isolated areas to meet the 19 criteria. Therefore, when the province issued a set of criteria for new rural areas at the village level with 15 criteria to guide construction in difficult mountainous communes, it created motivation and sparked a movement to build new rural areas in villages and hamlets in the area.

The fruit tree growing model of Mr. Tong Van Chien's household in Bai So village, Tam Quang commune brings in hundreds of millions of dong in income each year. Photo: D.C.

Accordingly, along with the district's direction and focus on combining capital sources to build infrastructure, many key routes have been completed such as: Bai Xa - Tung Huong route; Ban Ang - Na Be, Hop Thanh...; many resettlement areas have been built such as: Huoi To I resettlement area (Mai Son), Nhon Mai resettlement area (Nhon Mai), Na Cang resettlement area (Yen Tinh), Xop Mat resettlement area (Luong Minh)... In addition, regular attention is paid to remote villages of 3 communes along the river, annually organizing the repair and construction of rural roads, up to now over 100% of villages have motorbike access to the village.

Localities have also had creative ways of doing things, suitable to the actual situation, with the motto, "if many villages and hamlets meet the NTM standards, there will be communes that meet the NTM standards". During the implementation process, each member of the Steering Committee of the commune, hamlet, and village, each organization and union is responsible for each criterion; propagandizing to each household so that people understand that they are the main subjects in building and enjoying the NTM achievements; guiding people to renovate their houses and gardens; mobilizing people to donate land, contribute labor and money, calling for support and contributions from children far away from home to invest in infrastructure.

Mr. Tinh Van Hong - Head of Phay village, Xieng My commune, said that implementing the construction of new rural areas at the village and hamlet level not only helps people promote their role as the main subject, be more proactive in their work, push back the mentality of waiting and relying, but also creates a competitive atmosphere among families, clans, and then among villages and hamlets.

Based on the plan until 2025, in addition to striving to build 4 more communes to reach the finish line (Luu Kien, Yen Hoa, Xieng My, Yen Na), bringing the number of communes meeting NTM standards to 50%. Tuong Duong district aims to build 20 villages in the remaining communes to meet NTM standards: Xop Nam, Pha Lom (Tam Hop); Ban La, Minh Thanh, Minh Tien (Luong Minh); Cap Chang, Ban Hat, Canh Toong (Yen Tinh); Ban Luom, Ban Canh, Trung Thang (Yen Thang); Ban Bay, Na Ka (Nga My); Cha Lang, Huoi Co (Huu Khuong); Huoi Co, Nhon Mai (Nhon Mai); Huoi Xa, Na Hang, Pieng Mun (Mai Son).

Leaders of Tuong Duong district surveyed the fruit tree growing model in Xa Luong commune. Photo: D.C.

The district determined that planning for new rural construction for the commune is extremely important, to determine the roadmap and investment resources; most importantly, clearly define the tasks of all levels and sectors... In particular, with the motto "Which criteria are easy, do not need money to do first; which criteria are difficult, do need money to do later" not chasing after achievements at all costs but clearly defining which criteria are built so that people can truly enjoy the results of that criterion, not mobilizing too much of the people.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hoa - Deputy Director of Agricultural Service Center of Tuong Duong district

Along with that, promote the application and transfer of science and technology into agricultural production, considering this an important breakthrough to develop agriculture and rural economy, support farmers in applying scientific and technological advances, promote the transformation of agricultural structure towards commodities, link in sustainable value chains, to create jobs on the spot. Promote the implementation of the "One Commune One Product" (OCOP) Program to affirm the position of local typical products. Strengthen vocational training, in which, focus on linking with establishments, enterprises, industrial parks that need to use labor to solve stable employment after training...

With the motto "If many villages and hamlets meet NTM standards, there will be communes that meet NTM standards", on the basis of approving the cement support mechanism from the province for villages and hamlets, Tuong Duong district continues to maintain the mechanism and policies to encourage and motivate villages and hamlets to strive to meet NTM standards. Accordingly, a reward of 70 million VND, of which 50 million VND is for villages and hamlets to invest in construction or purchase equipment for community cultural houses and 20 million VND for organizing the standard recognition ceremony.