The northern province of Thai Binh has so far this year invested more than 6.3 trillion VND (approximately 300 million USD) in building new-style rural areas, according to the provincial Steering Committee for the National Target Programme on New-Style Rural Area Building.

Out of the total, 1.7 trillion VND (81.8 million USD) was allocated from the State budget, with another 550 billion VND (26.2 million USD) from the joint fund for other projects and programmes, and the rest from members of the public.

By the end of September 2014, all communes in Thai Binh submitted their new-style rural building plans. So far, 20 communes in the province have been recognised as new-style rural areas.

According to Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Pham Van Ca, if the registered communes fail to achieve their targets by the end of 2014, the province will stop funding and terminate support to them in years to come.

Between now and the year-end, the provincial Steering Committee will review which communes meeting all the 19 criteria. It is expected that the province will have more 52 communes recognised as new-style rural areas by the end of this year, raising its total number recognized communes to 72, exceeding the target of 70 by the end of 2015.

The national target programme, launched in 2010, defines 19 criteria, including measures to build infrastructure, improve production capacity, build public facilities, protect the landscape and environment, and promote local traditions and cultural identities.-VNA