Open up vital transportation routes.

The newly formed Lam Dong province, after the merger of Lam Dong, Binh Thuan, and Dak Nong provinces, has become the largest province in the country in terms of area, exceeding 24,000 square kilometers. One of the significant advantages gained by these localities after the merger is the synchronized investment and development of transportation infrastructure.

The linkage between these three provinces will promote the planning and investment in strategic transportation axes connecting the coastal and mountainous regions, including national highways, railways, expressways, and inter-communal and inter-district roads.

Developing transportation infrastructure in a coordinated manner.

One of the most significant advantages that Binh Thuan province will gain after the restructuring is the synchronized investment and development of transportation infrastructure. The Dau Giay - Phan Thiet and Phan Thiet - Vinh Hao expressways, which are already in operation, will be the "backbone" for effective regional connectivity.

National Highway 28 is one of the main routes connecting Lam Dong and Binh Thuan provinces. Photo: DOAN KIEN

The reorganization also facilitates the expansion of new routes, such as the coastal road connecting Binh Thuan with Ba Ria - Vung Tau and Khanh Hoa; or the planned highway across the highlands connecting Binh Thuan - Lam Dong - Dak Nong. These routes will not only shorten travel time between localities but also expand opportunities for the development of inter-regional industrial parks, clusters, and eco -tourism .

“Convenient transportation is also a prerequisite for attracting domestic and foreign investment, especially in fields such as logistics, processing industry, renewable energy, and tourism. Located at the center of the newly established province, Binh Thuan will play the role of a strategic ‘transit station’ in the network connecting the entire region,” said Mr. Nguyen Van Cuong, Director of Hung Cuong Import-Export Company (Binh Thuan province).

A great opportunity to restructure the agricultural value chain.

The newly formed Dak Lak province, created by merging Dak Lak and Phu Yen provinces, will have a total area of ​​approximately 18,170 ^km² , making it one of the largest provinces in the country. With a population of over 2.82 million, the new Dak Lak province will be among the top 10 most populous provinces, creating an attractive labor, consumer, and investment market. Its new geographical location (stretching from the Central Highlands down to the South Central Coast) gives the new province unique advantages: it possesses both the capacity for large-scale agricultural production (from Dak Lak) and the potential for industrial and logistics development linked to seaports (from Phu Yen).

Strengthening regional linkages

Mr. Vo Trung Manh, Chairman of the People's Committee of Tu Mo Rong District, Kon Tum Province, said that Tu Mo Rong is a key medicinal plant growing area in the Central Highlands with over 4,000 hectares, including about 3,000 hectares of Ngoc Linh ginseng. The local medicinal plant potential has not yet been fully exploited. The arrangement between Kon Tum Province and Quang Ngai Province will be a great opportunity for the medicinal plant industry in Tu Mo Rong, acting as a catalyst for the district's medicinal plants to expand, bringing greater value to the people and the entire region.

Meanwhile, in Lam Dong province, some businesses have gradually shifted their investments, bringing high-tech agriculture towards Dak Nong province. Mr. Tran Hong Thai, Chairman of the Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee, analyzed that Lam Dong province is expected to have leading production of coffee, durian, silk, and cold-water fish in the country. In recent times, Lam Dong has proactively worked with Dak Nong and Binh Thuan provinces to try to utilize the potential from mountains to the sea, striving to attract investment, build aluminum factories, exploit bauxite and transport it to ports, and develop tourism…

According to Mr. Hoang Danh Huu, Managing Director of EDE Farm Service Trading Company Limited, after the restructuring, the new Dak Lak province will possess all the important elements such as: abundant agricultural raw material areas, a quality rural labor force, and especially a gateway to the sea through Vung Ro port. This opens up great opportunities to restructure the agricultural value chain, especially for key products such as coffee, pepper, and durian, not only exporting raw materials but also upgrading to finished products for direct export through the province's own seaport, reducing dependence on distant ports such as Cat Lai or Cai Mep - Thi Vai.

Phu Yen currently has Tuy Hoa Airport, Vung Ro Port, National Highway 1A, and National Highway 25 connecting it to the Central Highlands. Dak Lak currently has Buon Ma Thuot Airport and many expressways under investment such as Khanh Hoa - Buon Ma Thuot and Gia Nghia - Chon Thanh, helping to form an inter-provincial and inter-regional logistics network. After the reorganization, the new Dak Lak province will have a clear advantage in infrastructure, making it well-suited for developing industrial zones, urban-service areas, and agricultural processing clusters, especially in border and coastal areas.

Mr. Truong Cong Thai, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dak Lak province, informed that the Provincial People's Committee has reported and proposed to the Prime Minister the upgrading of National Highway 29 connecting Dak Lak and Phu Yen from 2 lanes to 4 lanes, with a budget of approximately 10,000 billion VND. After upgrading and expanding, National Highway 29 will provide seamless connectivity between Phu Yen and Dak Lak and key transportation routes such as the Vietnam Coastal Highway, National Highway 1, the North-South Expressway (Eastern section), and National Highway 14. It will also connect to seaports, airports, and border gates. This is considered the most convenient route, creating conditions and impetus for the development of economic corridors in the two localities and surrounding areas.

The Department of Construction of Lam Dong province has advised the Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee to propose to the Central Government that important transportation infrastructure investment projects be included in the list of projects under the State Steering Committee for National Important Projects after the reorganization with Binh Thuan and Dak Nong provinces. These transportation projects all have inter-regional connectivity with the newly reorganized Lam Dong province.

Specifically, the projects include the Buon Ma Thuot - Gia Nghia expressway, 113km long with 4 lanes and a total investment of VND 27,500 billion; the Nha Trang - Da Lat expressway, 80.8km long with 4 lanes and a total investment of VND 25,058 billion; the Phan Thiet - Bao Loc - Gia Nghia expressway, 140.6km long with 4 lanes and a total investment of VND 33,378 billion; along with the investment, renovation, and upgrading project of National Highway 28, the Phan Thiet - Di Linh - Gia Nghia section, 197km long, with a Class III road scale and an investment of VND 4,900 billion. In addition, there are projects to upgrade and expand Lien Khuong Airport and Phan Thiet Airport, with a total investment of over VND 15,000 billion. The project to restore the 83.5km Thap Cham - Da Lat railway line includes 16 stations and passenger terminals (the new line adds 2 stations and 2 passenger terminals compared to the old line), with an investment capital of 24,071 billion VND…

Expectations of people in remote areas

In many mountainous areas of Kon Tum province, people hope that after the merger of Kon Tum and Quang Ngai provinces, the quality of healthcare will improve.

According to Mr. A Nep, Deputy Secretary of the Party Branch of Mo Banh 2 village (Dak Na commune, Tu Mo Rong district, Kon Tum province), the village has 120 households of the Xo Dang ethnic group. When the National Assembly passed the resolution on the rearrangement of provincial-level administrative units, including Kon Tum and Quang Ngai, the people were very interested and expected to have access to more modern medical services. Comrade Nguyen Duc Tuy, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee of Kon Tum province, shared: After the rearrangement with Quang Ngai province, we will have more resources, conditions and mechanisms to further improve in these two areas. The rearrangement of the two provinces will leverage the strengths of each locality, providing an opportunity for people in the mountainous areas of Kon Tum province to benefit from better public services, especially in the fields of health and education.

In the two provinces of Dak Lak and Dak Nong, especially in areas inhabited by ethnic minorities and remote regions, education still faces many challenges. There are still gaps in infrastructure, teaching staff, and opportunities for students to access quality education.

Mr. Tran Van Vuong, Head of the Education and Training Department of Dak Mil District, Dak Nong Province, said that the district has a high percentage of ethnic minorities and is located near the border, so the conditions for educational development are still limited. Not only is there a lack of infrastructure, but Dak Mil is currently short of about 100 teachers and school staff. The prolonged teacher shortage disrupts teaching, significantly affecting the learning process of students, especially those in remote areas who are already disadvantaged. After merging with Lam Dong Province, the locality will have more resources to invest in infrastructure and recruit and train a sufficient number of qualified teachers.

It can be affirmed that the reorganization of provincial-level administrative units will create favorable conditions for reform, improve the efficiency of state management, and distribute resources more equitably among regions. For Binh Thuan province, this is an opportunity to significantly improve social welfare issues, especially in remote areas and areas inhabited by ethnic minorities. “Schools, health stations, and regional hospitals can be invested in, expanded, or upgraded to meet standards, helping people in Binh Thuan, especially in mountainous districts like Tanh Linh, Duc Linh, Bac Binh, and Ham Thuan Bac, to access basic services more easily,” said Mr. Nguyen Thanh Giang, Chairman of the People's Committee of Ham Liem commune, Ham Thuan Bac district (Binh Thuan province).

REPORTER TEAM

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/mo-nhung-con-duong-huyet-mach-post800722.html