Challenges in building new rural areas

QTO - Currently, the National Criteria Set for Building New Rural Areas (NRA) for the period 2026-2030 has been issued for implementation. However, compared to the new criteria, many communes face the risk of declining in criteria. In addition, the lack of specific guidance from ministries and agencies on implementing the new criteria makes it difficult for localities to deploy them.

Decline in criteria

After the two-tiered local government system came into operation, localities faced many difficulties due to disparities between the old communes. After the review, many communes saw a decline in the criteria for New Rural Development; not a few communes had to start implementing the criteria from scratch again.

Trung Thuan commune was established by merging three communes: Quang Luu, Quang Tien, and Quang Thach. Before the merger, these were three economically disadvantaged communes in the former Quang Trach district. While before the merger, the communes had basically completed and met the criteria for New Rural Development, after the merger, a review of the criteria according to the National Criteria for New Rural Development in the 2026-2030 period showed that Trung Thuan commune only met 3 out of 10 criteria.

Many localities have seen a decline in new rural development criteria after mergers - Photo: D.N

According to Mai Xuan Anh Huyen, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Trung Thuan commune: Recognizing the importance and continuous nature of building new rural areas, immediately after stabilizing the organization, the commune reviewed the criteria to focus on implementation. A preliminary review based on the set of criteria for building new rural areas in the 2026-2030 period shows that Trung Thuan, currently in group 3, has achieved a low level of achievement.

The reasons stem from the fact that the commune faced many difficulties at the outset after the administrative reorganization, and the criteria regarding planning, socio-economic infrastructure, rural economic development, human resource training, and digital transformation were not fully met. Some criteria had a foundation established before the commune's reorganization, such as culture, education, health, environment, and the basic political system, which were maintained but did not fully meet the component indicators required by the new set of criteria. Comparing with the 10 new criteria, the commune failed to meet 7 criteria and met 3 criteria but at a weak level.

Similarly, Tuyen Binh commune was established by merging Phong Hoa, Mai Hoa, and Ngu Hoa communes. Before the merger, these communes had completed the construction of new rural areas. Although many positive results were achieved in building new rural areas, the risk of declining in new rural area criteria after the merger is unavoidable. According to the commune's report, the commune basically still meets 19 new rural area criteria, but there are currently 3 criteria at risk of decline.

Specific instructions are needed.

To align with the practical realities after the two-tiered government system came into operation, the national criteria for new rural communes for the period 2026-2030 have been issued with 10 criteria and 47 indicators. Each criterion is divided into three groups of communes: Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3, to suit the practical realities and development of each commune. The application of criteria according to each group of communes demonstrates flexibility, helping localities to complete the criteria and achieve the new rural commune status sooner.

However, currently, there are no comprehensive guidelines for implementing the criteria set for the 2026-2030 period. This poses an obstacle for many localities.

Mr. Mai Van Minh, Secretary of the Party Committee of Tuyen Hoa commune, said: Currently, the construction of new rural areas is being implemented according to the new set of criteria for the 2026-2030 period. Therefore, the commune has to review and re-implement the criteria. However, due to the lack of complete policies and guidelines from the Central Government and the province, the commune faces many difficulties in allocating resources for the construction of new rural areas. To avoid interrupting the local new rural area construction process, after reviewing the criteria, the commune has directed organizations and units to continue implementing and improving the criteria in the immediate future.

According to Nguyen Quoc Tuan, Deputy Head of the Office for Coordinating New Rural Development and Deputy Director of the Department of Cooperative Economics and Quality Management: Decision No. 51/2025/QD-TTg, the national criteria for new rural communes for the 2026-2030 period has been issued; however, to date, only 4 out of 13 ministries and agencies have provided specific guidance. This creates considerable difficulties for localities when starting implementation. Initially, the unit will direct localities to review the new rural development criteria according to the 2026-2030 criteria and submit them to the Office for Coordinating New Rural Development. While awaiting specific guidance from ministries and agencies, localities need to prioritize resources to continue implementing the criteria, thereby consolidating and improving the new rural development program in their areas.

D.N

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/xa-hoi/202604/thach-thuc-trong-xay-dung-nong-thon-moi-af95d05/