The southern Dong Nai province is leading southern localities in building new rural areas, according to the provincial steering committee of building new rural areas.

The province has spent over 16,000 billion VND (752 million USD) to implement the national programme on building new rural areas in its province in the period of 2011-2013.

Over 84 billion VND (3.95 million USD) out of the total budget is from state budget. The remaining fund is mobilised from local budget and other economic sectors, said the provincial steering committee.

The program on building new styled rural areas has been undertaken nationwide and rallied the active participation of the people. The program, which sets 19 national criteria, has created breakthroughs in agriculture, farmers and the countryside.

Building infrastructure, improving production capacity, building public works, protecting landscape and environment, and promote local traditions and cultural identities are among new criteria on building new rural areas initiated by the government since 2010.

Many localities have built modern infrastructure and promoted mass production. People’s living conditions have been improved remarkably.

About one third of total 136 communes in the province have completed their land planning work for new styled rural areas and 46 others have mapped out a project for their building new areas.

In the time ahead, Dong Nai will concentrate on several key programmes on boosting main crops, domestic animals and supportive industries for agriculture production, and promoting high-tech application to raise people’s income.

The province aims to have another one third of total communes fulfilled all new criteria for building new rural areas by 2015.-VNA