As many as 604 out of total 1,424 communes, or 42.4 percent, in the south central coastal and Central Highlands regions have been recognised as new-style rural areas, according to the Central Coordination Office on New Rural Development.
Nearly 30 percent of the communes in the northern mountainous provinces will be recognised as new-style rural areas by the end of 2019, one year ahead of the target assigned by the Prime Minister, an official has said.
The central province of Thua Thien – Hue has defined priorities for its One Commune – One Product (OCOP) programme during 2018-2020, which are mostly local specialties and services.
About 31.4 trillion VND (1.38 billion USD) was used in building new-style rural areas in 2017, heard a conference held by the Central Coordination Office on New Rural Development on January 8.
National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan congratulated Phong Dien on being the first new-style rural district in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho at a ceremony to announce the status.
The Prime Minister on April 5 issued Decision No. 558/QD-TTg on criteria for new-style rural districts in the 2016-2020 period, and regulations on the recognition of provincial towns and cities.
Vietnam aims to have about 25 percent of its communes named new-style rural communes this year as the national target programme on new countryside has entered the sixth year.
A conference was held on March 11 in the Mekong Delta City of Can Tho to discuss ways to accelerate the implementation of the new-style rural area-building programme across the nation from 2016-2020.