HCM City to mobilize 40 trillion VND for new rural development

Growing vegetables in rural communes in HCM City. (Source: VNA)

HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City will invest nearly 40.7 trillion VND (1.84 billion USD) to improve the quality of new rural area development in 2016-2020, the municipal authorities announced at a conference on December 2.

Of the figure, 16.4 trillion VND (745.3 million USD), or 40.3 percent will be sourced from the State budget while the remainder will come from the community, businesses and bank credits.

Each rural commune in the city will receive an estimated 726 billion VND under the project during the period.

Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Ngoc Ho said the goal is to have all communes meet the city’s own criteria for new rural areas, which are set higher than the national standards.

By 2020, the last remaining Can Gio and Binh Chanh districts are expected to be recognised as new-style rural areas.

Speaking at the event, permanent Vice Secretary of the municipal Party Committee and head of the municipal steering committee for new rural area construction Tat Thanh Cang said the city has many advantages in science-technology, transport and logistics compared to other cities and provinces in the region. Therefore, rural development in the city should be based on local specific conditions.

HCM City has 56 rural communes, 54 of which have met the national criteria for new rural areas. The districts of Cu Chi, Nha Be and Hoc Mon have also earned recognition.-VNA