At a group discussion (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and lawmakers looked into issues related to investment, development, and climate change response in the Mekong Delta during a group discussion at the ongoing sixth session of the 15th National Assembly in Hanoi on October 24.
Chinh said the Mekong Delta is now facing several issues, including land subsidence, landslide, drought and saltwater intrusion. Therefore, the Government has decided to allocate 4 trillion VND (166.6 million USD) to address them.
He also took the occasion to ask the National Assembly delegations to oversee the use of this sum.
In the long term, PM Chinh stressed the importance of large-scale projects, especially in Bac Lieu, Vinh Long, and Ca Mau provinces which are particularly vulnerable to landslide and land loss due to climate change.
The Mekong Delta has many tasks to accomplish, but in both the short and long term, the focus is on addressing landslides, subsidence, saltwater intrusion and drought, he said.
According to the PM, the Government is directing the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to develop a process for cultivating 1 million ha of clean rice, promoting green and sustainable agriculture to ensure food security and sustainable exports.
He called for attention to dealing with other major issues, such as human resources training and development and sustainable transport infrastructure that leverage the region's water resources.
The Mekong Delta, with 13 cities and provinces, covers a natural area of nearly 4 million sq.km, or about 13% of the country's total land area and has a population of roughly 18 million, equivalent to 19% of the country's total./.
