Thanh Hoa issues plan on new-style rural area building hinh anh 1A road in Quang Dinh commune, an advanced new-style rural area in Thanh Hoa (Photo: baothanhhoa.vn)

Thanh Hoa, (VNA) – The People’s Committee of the north central province of Thanh Hoa has issued a plan to implement the National Target Programme on Builidng New-style Rural Areas in Thanh Hoa in the period from 2021 to 2025. 

Under the plan, the province aims to have 19 districts, townships and cities, 88% of its communes, 65% of mountainous villages and 60% of villages in especially difficult communes meet all standards for new-style rural areas by the end of 2025.   

Another goal is to have 4 districts and at least 40% of communes fulfill advanced criteria for new-style rural areas, and 10% of communes and 10% of villages completed criteria for model new rural areas.

The plan also sets the target of raising average income of rural residents by at least 1.53 times. 

The provincial People’s Committee required departments and provincial-level agencies, steering committees for building new-style rural areas and People’s Committees of districts, townships and cities to build their own working plans to implement the national target programme.

The departments and provincial-level agencies, steering committees for building new-style rural areas and People’s Committees of districts, townships and cities are also required to report the progress of implementing the national target programme to the coordinating office on the 20th of the last month of each quarter.

The coordinating office for the national target programme on building new-style rural areas will chair and coordinate with relevant departments, agencies and sectors to guide and inspect the implementation of the plan.

According to statistics of the coordinating office, 11 districts in Thanh Hoa have satisfied all criteria of new-style rural areas, or 40.7% of the province’s total districts. Meanwhile, 346 out of the total 465 communes, or 74.41%, have completed those criteria.  

Another 56 communes, or 16.2 percent, earned the title of advanced new rural areas, and 9 communes, or 2.6%, have been recognized as exemplary new rural areas.

The province so far has 690 mountainous villages, or 50.92% of the total, recognized as new-style rural areas, and 214 mountainous villages have become model rural areas.

The number of communes fulfilling criteria on capital sources, production development and residents’ income continue to increase.

Duong Van Giang, deputy chief of the coordinating office for the national target programme on building new-style rural areas in Thanh Hoa, said the provincial People’s Committee has also approved a budget of 3.9 billion VND (around 167,000 USD) to implement the National Target Programme on Building New-style Rural Areas in 2022.

The province hopes to have 2 districts and 18 communes fulfilling standards for new-style rural areas this year. Other goals include 22 communes becoming advanced new rural areas and 7 communes becoming model new rural areas.

Thanh Hoa will strive to have an additional 120 OCOP (One Commune One Product) products given three- or four-star ratings at national level and one five-star product.

In a recent trip to the province, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue commended Thanh Hoa for its efforts and solidarity to obtain important achievements in various areas in 2021 and the early months of 2022.

Despite COVID-19 impact, Thanh Hoa registered the gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth rate of 8.85% in 2021, ranking in the leading group five provinces and cities nationwide.

He noted that the province continues to effectively carry out Resolution No. 58-NQ/TW of the Politburo on building and developing Thanh Hoa province to 2030, with a vision to 2045, while speeding up the implementation of special mechanisms and policies in line with Resolution No. 37/2021/QH15 dated November 13, 2021 of the National Assembly on piloting a number of special mechanisms and policies for provincial development. 

According to Resolution 58, by 2030, Thanh Hoa should become a big hub in the north central region and the country in terms of energy industry, processing, manufacturing, high value agriculture, logistics, tourism, education, and professional health care. By 2025, the province eyes to become a new growth pillar along with Hanoi, Hai Phong and Quang Ninh to create a development triangle in the North./.

VNA