Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on April 5 toured the northern midland province of Phu Tho to inspect the progress of socio-economic development and new-style rural area building programmes in the locality.

The Party leader visited residents of Vo Mieu commune, in Thanh Son District, where he affirmed that the Party and State always pay much attention to the ensuring of their social welfares and equality, as well as the implementation of poverty reduction policies.

Vo Mieu commune is home to many people from ethnic minority groups. The food average there is over 470kg per person annually. Nearly 100 percent of the locals have accessed to power and healthcare services, wile 85 percent of the households can enjoy clean water.

To date, the commune has fulfilled seven out of the 19 criteria of the programe of building new-style rural areas.

Noting that the locality has faced many difficulties with a high ratio of poor households, the Party leader urged local leaders and residents to promote the locality’s potential and strength in land and labour resources.

He said the locality should increase the application of advanced technology to production, while developing a large-scale production model with close association with processing and exporting.

General Secretary Trong hailed the efforts by the commune in realising the Party’s instruction on studying and following the moral example of President Ho Chi Minh and the resolution on Party building.

He underlined that the locality should focus on strengthening the solidarity in the local community and Party body, paying more attention to human resources training for Party building.

On the occasion of the Hung King Temple Festival and the commemoration of Lac Long Quan (who is believed to be the father of the nation), the Party leader offered incense and paid flora tribute to Hung Kings at the Hung Temple in Hy Cuong commune, Viet Tri City.

He also thurified Lac Long Quan at his temple and prayed for prosperity and peace for the nation.-VNA