Resettled residents in Tuyen Quang see fruits of State's investment

Tuyen Quang (VNS/VNA) - At a resettlement area in Phu Luu commune in Ham Yen district  of the northern mountainous province of Tuyen Quang, spacious houses were built close to each other connected by paved roads and alleys.

After 20 years of implementing the resettlement of residents to build the Tuyen Quang Hydropower Plant project, the lives of more than 4,000 households with over 20,000 people living in 125 resettlement sites have changed a lot.

People have settled down and prospered in their new hometowns.

Ho Van Chieu, head of one such zone, said that his resettlement had a total of 37 households mainly of Tay ethnic minority people.

To help people quickly stabilise their lives, local authorities always promptly informed people about the State's support policies as well as guided them to apply techniques in production and animal husbandry.

The life of people in the resettlement area had improved, as many households had become well-off from growing oranges, lemons, and doing service businesses.

Tay Van Tuong said that in the past, in the old village, his family's life was very difficult, as they only worked in the forest.

After being resettled, people were provided with land by the State to build houses and land for cultivation and livestock, and were guided by agricultural extension officers in production techniques.

The State invested in building rural roads and electricity systems at resettlement sites, making it very convenient for people to travel and transport goods.

From the compensation provided by the State for the Tuyen Quang Hydropower Plant project, Tuong's family invested in growing oranges and opening a grocery store.

Every year, his family earned nearly 200 million VND in profit from a 4ha area of oranges and the grocery store.

“We wish to continue to be supported by the State with loans for production development with long-term and low-interest loans, so that households are able to expand production and improve incomes,” said Tuong.

The resettlement areas feature roads, cultural houses and schools. Currently, 100% of households use electricity from the national grid, and 99% of households use hygienic water.

All school-age children go to school and people have better access to medical services when they are sick.

The Tuyen Quang Hydro Electricity project was approved by the Prime Minister in April 2002, started construction in 2003 and was put into operation in 2008.

From 2003-2006, about 4,000 households and over 20,000 people were moved to 125 resettlement sites in the districts of Lam Binh, Na Hang, Chiem Hoa, Ham Yen, Yen Son, and the city of Tuyen Quang.

Nguyen Thi Dinh, former director of the relocation department for the resettlement project of Tuyen Quang Hydropower Plant in the 2002-2003 period, said that in the early days of relocation, it was difficult to convince people to accept leaving the land they were attached to for new land.

Hundreds of Tuyen Quang province’s officials with experience and knowledge about local customs were sent to communes and villages to mobilise and guide people to relocate.

The resettled residents hope that the state will continue to invest in some infrastructure projects under construction./.