Poor villages and hamlets need support in building new rural areas.

For a long time, both the political system and the people of Quang Tri have been aware of the importance of laying the foundation for building new rural areas (NTM) starting from the villages and hamlets. However, what almost everyone understands and puts all their efforts into is an "impossible task" for people in the villages and hamlets of ethnic minorities and mountainous areas.

Officials of Lia commune, Huong Hoa district grasp the thoughts and aspirations of the people - Photo: TL

There are still many difficulties and challenges.

Up to now, most of the people in the villages and hamlets of ethnic minorities and mountainous areas in the province in general, and people in Lia commune, Huong Hoa district in particular, have a deep understanding of the meaning and importance of the new rural construction program. However, despite their efforts, they have not yet found a way to help their locality meet the standards.

Referring to this, Vice Chairman of Lia Commune People's Committee Ho Van Thu said that despite great efforts, the commune has only achieved 8/19 criteria for building a new rural area. After the merger, the whole commune has 10 villages and hamlets. However, no village or hamlet has met the new rural standards. "As a mountainous commune, an ethnic minority area, and a newly merged commune, we have encountered many difficulties in building a new rural area. In the villages and hamlets, many families are still "eating today, worrying about tomorrow's meal". Therefore, just contributing to help the village or hamlet meet the income standards is not easy," said Mr. Thu.

In the mountainous district of Dakrong, A Vao is one of the communes with special difficulties. Therefore, achieving 9/19 criteria for building a new rural area can be said to be an encouraging result for the commune. To promote that result, in the past time, the cadres and people of A Vao commune determined to build a new rural area step by step.

The priority is to overcome difficulties so that the village and hamlet can meet the standards first, and from there, pave the way for the commune. That is the calculation, but when starting to implement, the cadres of A Vao commune clearly realized the challenges. Currently, many households in the area are lacking land for production; their houses are temporary and dilapidated; they do not have a stable income... Therefore, it is difficult for them to wholeheartedly join hands in building the new rural area.

Chairman of the People's Committee of A Vao Commune, Ho Van Nhiep, said: "People in the commune clearly understand the meaning and are determined to build a new rural area. However, "difficulties limit wisdom". We really need support from all levels, sectors, organizations and individuals."

The reality in Lia and A Vao communes is also the common situation of many particularly difficult communes in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in the province. Compared to other localities in the area, the construction of new rural areas in these communes faces more challenges. Despite great efforts, local officials and people still struggle to meet criteria such as: income; transportation; irrigation... In the houses, food and clothing are still a concern for many households. Therefore, despite their wishes, people still find it difficult to contribute their efforts and funds to build new rural areas.

The general situation in the commune is like that, so the challenge for building new rural areas in the villages and hamlets is even greater. According to statistics, the whole province currently has 178 villages and hamlets in the communes with special difficulties in ethnic minority and mountainous areas. However, by the end of 2013, the whole province only had 4/178 villages and hamlets meeting new rural standards.

Building new rural areas from villages and hamlets

Since the new rural development program was implemented, officials and people in the province have soon realized the significance of building villages and hamlets that meet new rural standards. In fact, the new rural development will be faster and more solid if it starts from the villages and hamlets.

At the end of 2021, the Provincial Party Committee issued a resolution on implementing the national target program on new rural construction for the 2021-2025 period, with a vision to 2030. One of the goals set out in the resolution is to strive for 40% of villages and hamlets in particularly disadvantaged communes in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in the province to meet new rural standards by 2025.

In August 2022, the Provincial People's Committee issued a decision on a set of criteria for villages and hamlets meeting NTM standards in extremely disadvantaged communes in ethnic minority and mountainous areas. The goal is that by 2025, the whole province will have 81 villages and hamlets meeting NTM standards, including: Huong Hoa 38 villages; Dakrong 24 villages; Vinh Linh 10 villages and Gio Linh 9 villages.

However, the implementation of the above goal is very difficult. Compared to the general level, villages and hamlets in ethnic minority and mountainous areas have a low starting point. Even the mobilization and propaganda for people to realize their role as the subject in building the new rural area takes a lot of time. Although receiving attention and support from superiors, infrastructure, traffic systems, irrigation... in many villages and hamlets are still not guaranteed. If only promoting internal resources, it is certain that villages and hamlets in ethnic minority and mountainous areas will find it difficult to rise up to meet the new rural standards.

Given the above reality, the involvement and support of relevant levels, sectors and units for villages and hamlets in ethnic minority and mountainous areas is extremely necessary. To make this support more effective, first of all, the People's Committees of relevant districts need to focus on directing communes to review the current situation of villages and hamlets, especially the difficulties and obstacles in building new rural areas. On that basis, localities need to develop a specific roadmap to help villages and hamlets meet new rural standards according to the set goals and plans.

It is extremely necessary to assign district-level agencies and departments to support and sponsor communes, villages, and hamlets in difficult areas. Relevant levels, sectors, and units need to continue to promote propaganda and mobilize people to join hands in building the new rural areas; train staff, especially at the village level; and provide timely encouragement and rewards...

In particular, mobilizing all resources, support and effectively integrating capital sources is extremely necessary to help villages and hamlets in difficult areas soon reach NTM standards.

Tay Long

Source