Localities nationwide need to mobilise more resources for building rural transport infrastructure in the time ahead, which is a critical measure to successfully build new-style rural areas, said Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh.

At a teleconference with the 63 provinces and cities on July 6, the Deputy PM hailed efforts over the past five years to mobilise social resources for the national target programme on building new-style rural areas, especially regarding the construction of rural traffic facilities, in the context of limited funding from the State budget.

He said such endeavours must be maintained as numerous difficulties still exist while the goals set for the next five years are ambitious.

He also requested ministries and sectors, particularly the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance, to seek ways augmenting finances for the work, for example by sourcing capital from relevant national target programmes.

Between 2010 and 2015, the length of rural roads was expanded by 217,433 km from the pre-2010 period while 186.19 trillion VND (8.66 billion USD) was mobilised, equivalent to 183 percent of the total sum during the previous ten years, Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The reported.

More than 103,390 km of roads were repaired and upgraded, increasing by 54 percent annually, from 2010 to 2015. Meanwhile, 15,474 bridges were constructed and 11,503 others were repaired.

Up to 44.68 percent of rural roads, or 220,246 km out of the total 492,982 km, were paved with concrete. The rate of paved roads in midland, mountainous, central and Central Highlands areas is much lower than in other areas, the official added.

He noted that the traffic sector aims to cover all communal-level roads with asphalt or concrete by 2020.

The national target programme on building new-style rural areas, initiated by the Government, set 19 criteria, aiming to boost rural regions nationwide.

The list includes the development of infrastructure, the improvement of production capacity, environmental protection, and the promotion of cultural values.-VNA