Thousands of households in Ho Chi Minh City voluntarily donated land worth billions of VND for the new rural development program.

This is not just a story about alleys and streets being given a new look, but also a powerful testament to the unity and sacrifice of personal interests for the common development of the community right in a bustling city where "every inch of land is worth its weight in gold".

Tran Van Phen (Thai My commune, Ho Chi Minh City) voluntarily donated nearly 2,000 square meters of land for the New Rural Development program. Photo: T.D.

The numbers speak volumes about the immense sacrifices made by donating billions of dong worth of land for the new rural development program.

According to a report by the Ho Chi Minh City Farmers' Association, over the past 10 years, contributing to the city's rural development efforts, the association at all levels has mobilized 4,471 members and farmers to donate over 2,840,000 square meters of land, contribute 143.7 billion VND, and provide over 163,000 man-days of labor to build and repair more than 16,200 km of rural roads; upgrade over 522 km of canals; and renovate and reinforce 393 bridges and culverts, contributing to improving the quality of transportation and irrigation criteria in the locality.

According to Mr. Thai Quoc Dan, former Deputy Chief of the Ho Chi Minh City New Rural Development Coordination Office, the results of 10 years of implementing the "City joins hands to build new rural areas" emulation movement, from 2010 to 2020, show that the city has mobilized the entire political system and people in 56 communes to contribute to rural development, with a total support fund of over 2,800,900 million VND.

This involved mobilizing more than 26,000 households to donate land and structures for road construction, covering an area of 2,972,300 square meters…

This contribution has significantly reduced land clearance costs for the state budget, while also helping to quickly complete infrastructure criteria, creating momentum for Ho Chi Minh City to accelerate the construction of new rural areas in suburban districts, and urban renovation in inner-city areas.

Generous donors contribute land and billions of dong to build vital rural roads.

In the suburban districts of Ho Chi Minh City, the land donation movement is closely linked to fulfilling the transportation infrastructure criteria in the National Target Program for building new rural areas. Many farmers have not hesitated to give up valuable agricultural land and residential land in exchange for clear roads, serving the long-term interests of the community.

In Phu My Hung commune, Mr. Bui Van Deo is one of the shining examples in the movement to donate land for the New Rural Development program in Ho Chi Minh City. His contributions are not limited to a single instance but extend across many important projects in the commune.

Mr. Deo's pioneering act of donating a large area of land, reportedly worth billions of dong, for road upgrades has created a strong ripple effect in the community. After the new, clean road was built, trade and transportation of goods became easier for the people in the area, boosting agricultural economic development. Mr. Deo's generous gesture made it easier for the local government to mobilize other households, contributing to Cu Chi district's rapid achievement of New Rural Area standards.

In Long Thoi commune, Mr. Nhu Ngoc An, a veteran farmer in this semi-flooded area, voluntarily donated over 1,000 square meters of land. He also encouraged neighboring households to donate land for the government to build roads.

In 2016, Mr. An's family continued to donate more than 70 square meters of land and structures worth over 1 billion VND to expand alley 348.

"Thanks to the collective efforts and unity of the people, the transportation infrastructure network in Hamlet 2 has been gradually improved. Currently, the alleys are concreted and asphalted, no longer muddy as before," Mr. An revealed.

Meanwhile, in Thanh An commune, Mr. Nguyen Van Doi donated over 13,000 square meters of salt-producing land to build inland dikes and rural roads to serve salt production for salt farmers and local ecotourism .

Mr. Nguyen Van Doi, from Thanh An commune, is building a road for the local people. Photo: T.D.

"Previously, this dike was only built temporarily, so some sections were breached by high tides, causing significant damage to salt farmers. That's why I donated land along with the government to upgrade the dike so that people can produce with peace of mind and trade can be facilitated," Mr. Nam Doi shared.

The stories of people in the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City donating land have proven that the New Rural Development program is truly "of the people, by the people, and for the people".

The voluntary donation of land worth billions, even tens of billions of dong (Binh Chanh district alone donated over 3 million m² worth more than 2,300 billion dong) has affirmed the leading role and sense of responsibility of the people towards overall development. They understand that sacrificing small immediate benefits will bring great, long-term benefits to future generations. The people's will is the most powerful resource, the invaluable "golden land" for Ho Chi Minh City to continue steadily on the path of building and developing a modern rural area.

Source: https://ttbc-hcm.gov.vn/hang-ngan-ho-dan-tphcm-tu-guyen-hien-dat-tien-ty-lam-nong-thon-moi-1020198.html