National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung has urged the authorities of all levels in northern mountainous Tuyen Quang province to boost socio-economic development and improve the living standards for local people, especially ethnic minority ones.

Meeting with ethnic voters in Tan Trao commune, Son Duong district on March 29, Hung expressed his concern over the high rate of poor households, which accounted for nearly half of the total 1,100 families in the commune.

He asked the local authorities to make more efforts to improve rural infrastructure to facilitate socio-economic development, trade and tourism, thus increasing locals’ income.

The NA leader praised efforts that Tan Trao – a former revolution base has made in building new model of rural areas and said he hopes the locals will uphold their traditions to preserve and promote cultural identities and solidarity and build the homeland more prosperously.

Stressing the importance of the new rural area building - a key task of the whole political system, he asked Tuyen Quang to mobilise all necessary resources to continue the programme, making it a strong movement across the province.

Sharing the voters’ concern about difficulties in agricultural production, Hung urged the local authorities and businesses to increase support in cultivation technology and animal and plant breeds.

As one of the 11 communes shaping the Safety Zone during the resistance war, Tan Trao is home to various ethnic minority groups such as Tay, Dao, Nung, Cao Lan, San Diu and San Chi.

Over the past two years, the commune has fulfilled 10 out of 19 criteria on building new rural area model. It sets a target of completing the remaining nine criteria by 2015 with a total expense of 193 billion VND.

During his stay in Son Duong district, Hung planted trees at the Tan Trao special historical Relic and visited the National Assembly relic.

He offered incense to President Ho Chi Minh in Na Nua and presented gifts to families who served in the past revolutions.-VNA