The Red River Delta province of Ninh Binh needs to take drastic solutions to promote its socio-economic development and achieve a GDP growth rate of over 18 percent in 2010, said the State leader.

President Nguyen Minh Triet made the request while meeting with provincial leaders during his visit to Ninh Binh from July 28-29, focusing on its socio-economic performances and the implementation of Politburo Resolution 49-NQ/TU on judicial reforms.

Subsequently, the authorities at all levels need to fully tap into the province’s potential such as shipbuilding in Gia Vien district, as well as maintaining its position in industry, tourism and transport, said President Triet.

Ninh Binh province should make more effort to improve its investment environment so it can attract investment both internally and externally and focus on training a high-quality workforce for investors, he added.

The State leader also hailed the province’s endeavours to step up socio-economic development and judicial reforms in recent years, citing its GDP growth rate last year of 15.35 percent despite the adverse impacts of the global economic crisis.

He applauded the progress Ninh Binh has made in economic restructuring and agricultural production as well as in social affairs, security, national defence, administrative reforms and Party building work.

Ninh Binh now ranks third in the country in terms of the number of schools that meet national standards, said the president, adding that the province has managed to reduce the number of poor households to 6.8 percent in 2009.

Regarding judicial reforms, President Triet praised Ninh Binh for the results it has obtained in strengthening the apparatus and training officials for judicial agencies.

All of its eight district-level people’s courts have enhanced their jurisdiction and the rate of wrongful convictions is much lower than the sector’s average, said the State leader./.