Project helps improve urban planning in Mekong cities hinh anh 1Hoang Thi Hoa, head of the project and senior urban expert of the WB, speaks at the wrap-up meeting. (Photo: baohaugiang.com.vn)

Hau Giang (VNA) – A delegation from the World Bank (WB) made a tour of the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang on October 11 to support the implementation of the first subproject of the Scaling Up Urban Upgrading Project for Vietnam.

The project is targeting the Mekong Delta cities of Bac Lieu (Bac Lieu province), Ben Tre (Ben Tre province), Long Xuyen (An Giang province), Soc Trang (Soc Trang province), Tan An (Long An province), Vi Thanh (Hau Giang province), and Vinh Long (Vinh Long province).

With total official development assistance (ODA) and preferential loans worth 240 million USD, the project aims to improve access to infrastructure in priority city areas and improve urban planning in participating cities.

It is combined of four sub-components, namely tertiary infrastructure upgrades in low-income areas, priority primary and secondary infrastructure, resettlement site building, and implementation of support and capacity building.

Once completed, the project is expected to benefit more than 1.5 million people, especially low-income earners, the elderly, children, and people with disabilities.

Hoang Thi Hoa, head of the project and senior urban expert of the WB, said the project is scheduled to take effect on December 27, 2018 with its bidding set to open between January and March 2019.

With funding of more than 800 billion VND (34.4 million USD), the Vi Thanh subproject covers an area of over 1,300 households.

Hau Giang province is expected to set forth a compensation and resettlement plan in October 2018, publishing it the following month.

Nguyen Van Tuan, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said the subproject will give a facelift to Vi Thanh city, helping the city reach its target of becoming a second-tier urban area in 2020.–VNA 
VNA