Rural reconstruction key task, says PM

Nam Toong Village in Sa Pa Town of the northern mountainous Lao Cai Province. A nationwide conference on a new deal for rural areas was held yesterday in Ha Noi. — VNA/VNS Photo Phung Trieu

HA NOI — Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung yesterday set a national rural reconstruction programme in motion by calling for ideas - online.

The PM, who was speaking as chairman of an online conference in Ha Noi on building a new countryside, required all localities to implement the programme with persistent, even drastic measures.

And he gave them one year in which to collect people's opinions on ways of improving rural lives.

He said localities should develop new rural construction in every commune and district, adding that it should be considered the key task of the political system.

He added that a roadmap with appropriate steps was also needed to make the plan a success.

Deputy Prime Ministers Nguyen Sinh Hung, Truong Vinh Trong and Hoang Trung Hai and leaders of ministries and 63 cities and provinces took part in the conference.

To achieve the revival, the Prime Minister asked all localities to establish steering committees, set up annual work plans and build models of the new countryside to guide the way.

Dung said the programme was being developed to implement a resolution at the seventh conference of the Party Central Committee.

He said it was truly a revolutionary movement that needed the power of the political system, the State, people and enterprises.

"It is necessary to be deeply aware of the purpose and significance of the programme," the PM said. "This is not an infrastructure investment project, but a comprehensive development programme to promote people's ownership and enhance their social security," Dung said.

He said the programme showed the Party and State's care for rural people, who made up 70 per cent of the nation's population.

The PM said construction should carefully consider existing planning schemes in rural areas. He emphasised the need to hold on to land for cultivation, transport and irrigation while allocating other land for production.

Provincial delegates generally agreed that 20 per cent of rural communes meet the new rural standards by 2015 and 50 per cent by 2020.

To fund the programme, the PM said the State would provide support for each commune. He said the State guaranteed 40 per cent of capital investment, the rest would come from credit capital, capital from enterprises, co-operatives and other economic avenues.

Dung also required provinces to prioritise institutional reform, resource training and technical infrastructure, especially in education. — VNS

by http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/