Thanh Hoa: Unleashing the will to strive for economic development.

Báo Tài nguyên Môi trường•28/08/2023

The numbers speak for themselves.

After more than half of the program's implementation, with the timely and close leadership of the Provincial Party Committee, the decisive and flexible direction of the Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee; and the efforts of all levels, sectors, and the people of ethnic minorities in mountainous areas, 12 out of 28 targets have been achieved or exceeded (43%). The socio -economic situation and national defense and security in ethnic minority and mountainous areas of Thanh Hoa province continue to improve positively; the material and spiritual lives of the people are stable and gradually improving; education and healthcare in ethnic minority areas have made significant progress; and the values of ethnic culture continue to be preserved and promoted.

The lives of the ethnic minority people in the mountainous areas of Thanh Hoa province are improving day by day.

Regarding socio-economic infrastructure, to date, 100% of roads from villages to commune centers have been paved; 68% of village roads have been asphalted or concreted; 135 reservoirs, dams, and canals have been constructed using funds from national target programs, local dam and dike safety programs, and WB loans…

The percentage of households using hygienic water is estimated at 93.6%, an increase of 2.8% compared to 2020 (of which, the percentage of households using clean water according to the standards of the Ministry of Health reached 39.8%). Infrastructure investment for electricity supply has been completed for 23 villages in 6 districts; in 2023, further investment will be made to provide electricity to 857 households in the remaining 14 villages without access to the national power grid in 2 districts (Thuong Xuan and Muong Lat). Telecommunications and television network infrastructure has been expanded; to date, there are 2,904 mobile communication base stations and 363 internet access stations, ensuring coverage and providing telecommunications, internet, and television services to 100% of commune centers and 99.7% of villages in the area.

Notably, the average per capita income in the mountainous areas of Thanh Hoa reached VND 38.12 million (in 2022); the poverty rate in mountainous districts decreased from 19.9% to 15.19% (a decrease of 4.81%, according to the poverty standard for the 2022-2025 period); the near-poverty rate decreased from 21% to 17.07% (a decrease of 3.93%); the poverty rate among ethnic minorities decreased from 27.23% to 19.86% (a decrease of 7.37%); the rate of solidly built school buildings reached 100%; the rate of solidly built commune health stations reached 89.7%; the rate of communes meeting national health criteria reached 93.1%; the rate of health stations with doctors reached 91.4%; and the rate of ethnic minorities participating in health insurance reached 74%. The rate of trained labor reached 56.2%; the rate of households using clean water reached 93.6%; the rate of ethnic minorities watching television and listening to radio reached 100%...

Economic and social infrastructure has received significant investment.

The lives of people of all ethnic groups have improved.

Thanks to policies in the socio-economic development program for mountainous areas of Thanh Hoa province, many poor households have changed their outdated farming practices, boldly transforming their crop and livestock structures and applying scientific and technological advancements to production, resulting in higher economic efficiency and income.

Mr. Tran Van Quyet, Party Secretary and head of Xuan Hop village, Xuan Binh commune, Nhu Xuan district, also said that previously, intensive farming of rice, corn, and upland fields yielded poor economic results. Now, they have switched to industrial crops, which has helped reduce poverty. Seeing the high economic efficiency, the villagers are all learning these farming methods to alleviate poverty.

Mr. Lo Van Thao from Quan Hoa district happily shared: “Over the past time, we have received support from local authorities at all levels to develop production, diversify livelihoods, and replicate effective poverty reduction models. Poor and near-poor households have been supported with seeds, livestock, and economically valuable crops, and have received technical training to apply to production, helping to increase productivity and achieve high economic efficiency.”

As one of the ethnic minority families who escaped poverty thanks to the government's bamboo cultivation support policy, Mr. Vi Van Mung from Muong Lat district said: "Because it suits the soil and climate and is cared for according to proper technical procedures, the bamboo in our family's area has started to yield a harvest. In this area, there is no other plant more suitable than bamboo. After 4 to 5 years, the bamboo begins to yield a harvest, bringing in 60 to 70 million VND per year, and the bamboo has a lifespan of over 60 years. Besides bamboo cultivation, the family has been contracted by the local government to protect and plant nearly 3 hectares of forest, and the State pays for environmental protection services. We use this money to buy supplies for planting, developing, and protecting the forest."

Thanh Hoa province has effectively implemented the socio-economic development program for mountainous areas for the period 2021-2025.

Looking at the vast, lush bamboo forests, which bring high economic value, it's not an exaggeration to call them "giant green gold nuggets" that contribute to the economic development and improved living standards of the ethnic minority communities in the mountainous regions in general, and help alleviate poverty in Muong Lat district.

To implement the National Target Program for Sustainable Poverty Reduction in the period 2023-2025, Thanh Hoa province has set the goal of reducing the poverty rate by an average of 1.5% or more annually, with the poverty rate among ethnic minority households decreasing by an average of 3% or more annually. Although encouraging results have been achieved, the remaining tasks of the program are still substantial.

Therefore, in the coming period, Thanh Hoa province will continue to identify the key solution as focusing on improving the effectiveness of leadership and guidance by Party committees and authorities in implementing the program. It will intensify propaganda efforts to inspire the will to strive for self-improvement and eliminate the mentality of dependence among poor and near-poor households. At the same time, it will concentrate resources on investing in socio-economic infrastructure development; promote production development, increase income, and improve people's lives; and promptly and fully implement the contents of projects and sub-projects under the National Target Program for Sustainable Poverty Reduction annually.

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