Chieng Lao promotes internal strength to boost socio-economic development

Overcoming more than 30 km of mountain pass from the center of Muong La commune, we arrived at Chieng Lao, a land that is changing every day with new asphalt roads and the spirit of striving of the people.

A corner of Chieng Lao commune center.

Comrade Lo Thi Ban Bun, Secretary of the Chieng Lao Commune Party Committee, told us about the determination to innovate here: The commune was established on the basis of merging three old communes: Chieng Lao, Nam Gion, Hua Trai, with over 21,000 people of Thai, Mong, Khang, La Ha and Kinh ethnic groups living together. Immediately after the merger, the commune focused on stabilizing the organization, exploiting the strengths of each region for mutual development. Especially inheriting the achievements of the previous term in the breakthroughs of developing high-tech agriculture ; community-based lake tourism; investing in rural transportation; building a clean agricultural product chain and promoting commercial livestock farming.

We followed the commune officials to Na Nong village, where the Thai ethnic people live. Welcoming us with a friendly smile, Mr. Luong Van Hai, Party cell secretary and village chief, shared: People grow fruit trees, high-yield cassava, utilize by-products to raise livestock and raise fish in cages; many households also open restaurants and grocery stores. Life is increasingly more prosperous and fulfilling than before.

Booth displaying typical agricultural products and traditional handicrafts of Chieng Lao commune.

The old dirt roads in Chieng Lao have now been replaced by concrete and asphalt roads, demonstrating the locality’s efforts to improve its infrastructure. In just one term, the commune has built 31 new roads, over 19 km long, with a total capital of over 36 billion VND, of which the people contributed over 3 billion VND. To date, 29/39 villages have asphalt and concrete roads to the village center.

Today, Chieng Lao not only has invested infrastructure, but the production thinking of the people has also changed significantly. Agriculture has shifted strongly to commodity, applying high technology, growing varieties suitable for the market. The whole commune has over 700 hectares of fruit trees and hawthorn; hundreds of households raise buffalo, cows, and pigs; nearly 400 fish cages, with an output of over 730 tons/year. The wild beekeeping movement has developed in 4 Mong ethnic villages, with more than 100 households, producing nearly 10 tons of honey/year, earning over 1 billion VND. Chieng Lao rock honey products have been built in a chain, meeting OCOP standards. The commune has completed 9/19 new rural criteria, the poverty rate has decreased sharply, especially among ethnic minorities.

Many households invest in raising fish in cages on the Son La hydroelectric reservoir.

Chieng Lao is also a pioneer in digital transformation, with 100% of officials using electronic documents, online meetings, handling administrative procedures and cashless payments. People submitting applications online and receiving results via Zalo has become familiar. However, Chieng Lao still faces difficulties, some targets have not been completed; fruit tree and community tourism models are not highly effective; production is fragmented and lacks linkages; land management, education and high child marriage rates are still worrisome issues.

Entering the 2025-2030 term, the Commune Party Committee aims to build a clean Party and political system, maintain national defense and security, promote democracy, preserve cultural identity, and move towards sustainable development. Specific targets: Food output reaches 10,500 tons; total livestock herd 37,000; maintain 400 fish cages; reduce the poverty rate to below 13.5%; digitize 100% of administrative procedures; 30% of Party cells meet the "4 Good Party Cell" standard. The commune identifies 4 breakthroughs: Digital transformation in production and management; innovation in development thinking; building a specialty chain; developing forest economy associated with medicinal herbs under the forest canopy.

Model of raising cows in barns in Lech village, Chieng Lao commune.

The belief in the successes in Chieng Lao is the role of the core members at the grassroots level. From the Party Secretary of Ma village mobilizing people to grow hybrid corn; then the cadres of Na Nong village persistently guiding people to raise fish in cages, to Phieng Loi, Po and Le villages mobilizing people to develop lake tourism associated with the community... All show that when the Party cell is strong and the Party members are exemplary, the village will change. In Chieng Lao, the movements of "Clean house, beautiful garden" and "Getting rich legitimately" spread strongly. Party cell meetings, in addition to the content of leadership orientation, also become a place to exchange experiences linking learning and following Uncle Ho with economic development, preserving culture and taking care of people's lives.

Saying goodbye to Chieng Lao in the late afternoon, amidst the green of rice fields, peaceful fish ponds and the laughter of friendly, loving people. With the spirit of solidarity and innovation, Chieng Lao will transform strongly, towards sustainable development, for the happiness of the people.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/kinh-te/chieng-lao-phat-huy-noi-luc-thuc-day-kinh-te-xa-hoi-hvSMfcwNg.html