Over VND851.3 trillion mobilised for building new-style rural areas

Building new-style rural areas has become an animated movement across the country over the past five years, with an estimate of VND851.3 trillion (US$38.3 billion) having been mobilised for the programme, roughly VND98.67 trillion (US$4.44 billion) of which has been sourced directly from the State budget.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat released the figures while presenting the government’s report on the 2010-2015 implementation of the national target programme on building new-style rural, associated with agricultural restructuring, to an inspection team of the National Assembly Standing Committee in Hanoi on April 13.

Building road in new-style rural commune in Tien Giang province. Photo: Huu Chi

So far, a total of 1,761 communes nationwide (19.7% of the total number of communes) have been recognised as new-style rural areas, while 23 districts have met the requirements of new-style rural areas, the report said.

It added that the average income per capita in the countryside has reached VND24.4 million (US$1,098) per year, a 1.9-fold increase against 2010, with the agricultural sector seeing an annual GDP growth rate of 2.83% and another annual 3.41% growth in production value.

The inspection team hailed the positive outcomes of the programme over the past years, but also stressed that there still remains numerous limitations and obstacles during the implementation process, including the disparities in performances among regions and inadequate attention to replicating effective production models in localities.

In order to enhance efficiency in implementing the national target programme on building new-style rural areas from now till 2020, members of the inspection team suggested favouring enterprises to invest in agriculture and rural areas, encouraging farmers to apply science and technology to production to add value to farming products, and providing support for disadvantaged localities to reduce differences among regions through particular policies.

While agreeing with the government’s report, inspectors also requested that it cover three additional issues: water sources in agricultural production, security in rural areas and the impacts of the programme on the spiritual life in rural localities.

(Source: NDO)