Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has urged the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum to pay special attention to poverty reduction in a rapid and sustainable manner to help its people, especially those in rural and remote areas, enjoy better living conditions.

At a working session with the province’s key leaders in Hanoi on October 30, PM Dung also asked the locality to drastically implement social welfare policies in a synchronous manner.

The province needs to quickly review its industrial, agricultural and forestry planning and focus resources on growing industrial trees with high economic value like rubber, coffee and tea and developing animal breeding, he said.

The PM laid special emphasis on how the province should do to effectively exploit its strengths to promote tourism and the processing industry in service of its rapid and sustainable development.

More attention should be paid to health care, education, national security and defence as well as social order and safety, the Government leader told the provincial officials.

At the meeting, he also commented on the province’s proposals regarding capital allocation to several key transport and hydroelectric projects and the planning of forests, agriculture and border economic areas.

Kon Tum has recorded an annual GDP growth rate of around 13.4 percent in rate in 2011-2013, reported Chairman of the Kon Tum provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Hung.

The provincial economic structure has shifted towards industry and services. Per capita income in Kon Tum surged from 13.6 million VND (639 USD) to 22.2 million VND (1,043 USD) and is expected to hit 25.7 million (1,207 USD).

Hung affirmed the province’s strong resolve in addressing difficulties for production, attracting investment, developing small-scale rubber plantations and coffee farms and paying more heed to education and training, health care, culture and tourism, and social welfare policies.-VNA