Two Hanoi districts recognised as new-style rural areas

Hanoi (VNA) – Hanoi’s Dan Phuong and Dong Anh districts have been recognised as new-style rural areas, the municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development reported on August 8.

Tranh Tri and Hoai Duc districts have also submitted dossiers for the recognition of new-style rural area title, according to the department.

As of July 2017, Hanoi has 255 out of 386 communes fulfilling all 19 criteria of the new-style rural building programme. Among the remaining 131 communes, 93 have completed 15-18 criteria and 38 others have achieved 10-14 criteria. Fifty two communes plan to complete the programme in 2017.

Chu Phu My, Director of the department said that the biggest difficulty in implementing the programme is criteria for infrastructure and schools, especially in remote areas such as Phu Xuyen, My Duc and Ung Hoa districts. Clean water standards are another challenge for the city as only 39 percent of locals in Hanoi have access to clean water.

At the same time, the national criteria for new-style rural areas in 2016-2020 are higher than old ones, making it difficult for the city in areas of uneven development.

In the rest of the year, the city will continue with communication campaigns to raise public awareness of the significance of building new-style rural areas, said My.

The city will also try to attract more social investment to agriculture and rural development, while increasing the use of science and technology in agriculture.-VNA