Overcoming challenges and difficulties in Lac Luong

Lac Luong – a remote and challenging area located nearly 160 km from the provincial capital. With over 98% of its population belonging to ethnic minorities and a complex terrain, the lives of the people remain difficult. Immediately after the establishment of the two-tiered local government system, the local Party committee and government implemented numerous solutions to stabilize the organizational structure after the merger, creating favorable conditions for the people to promote local socio-economic development.

The roads leading to five remote villages were severely damaged by landslides after Typhoon No. 10.

Hardships in a difficult land

From the center of Lac Luong commune, the road leading to the remote hamlets has suffered serious landslides due to the impact of Typhoon No. 10. The embankment has collapsed, and the road surface is peeling off, hindering traffic. This is also a vital road connecting the commune center with the remote hamlets, where economic conditions are still difficult.

Due to the impact of Typhoon No. 10, Lac Luong commune experienced heavy to very heavy rain accompanied by strong winds. The prolonged rainfall over several days caused widespread flooding and severe damage to essential infrastructure. According to assessments, 176 houses in the commune were flooded, 30 households experienced landslides affecting their homes, and 24 families, totaling nearly 100 people, were evacuated from high-risk areas to safer locations. The total estimated damage caused by Typhoon No. 10 in the commune is approximately 9.5 billion VND.

Authorities have placed warning signs to alert people and vehicles traveling on the route of danger.

Mr. Bui Van Xung, from Thuong hamlet, expressed his concern: "The road connecting to the commune's center has many serious subsidence points, and we residents always feel insecure because of the risk of landslides that could occur at any time."

Located in the southeastern part of the province, Lac Luong is a remote and disadvantaged commune with difficult economic conditions. The commune has a large area, a hilly and mountainous terrain, and a scattered population. Transportation infrastructure is not yet synchronized; many roads are dilapidated and lack investment, making travel difficult, especially in hamlets formerly belonging to Lac Sy commune. Therefore, management and implementation of tasks at the grassroots level face many challenges. This area has over 500 households with 2,500 inhabitants. With a predominantly high and rugged mountainous terrain, agricultural land covers only about 70 hectares, and the people's economy relies on forestry, covering a total of over 2,500 hectares.

Mr. Bui Van Trieu, head of Sao Vot hamlet, said: “Due to the limited agricultural land, most people in the hamlet have to go to work far away in industrial zones and clusters in the province and neighboring areas. Forestry is the main economic model, but the long maintenance time means unstable income. Because of this reality, the lives of the Muong ethnic people in this area are still very difficult and lacking.”

Efforts to stabilize the two-tiered local government system.

According to Resolution No. 1676/NQ-UBTVQH15 of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly on the rearrangement of commune-level administrative units in Phu Tho province in 2025, Lac Luong commune was established by merging the natural area and population size of four communes: Lac Luong, Lac Sy, Da Phuc, and Bao Hieu. Accordingly, the commune currently has over 5,700 households with approximately 25,000 people distributed across 36 hamlets, with ethnic minorities accounting for 98.5%.

The Sao Vot resettlement area was built to provide stable housing for over 30 households affected by the historic natural disaster of 2017.

The two-tiered government model has a positive impact on streamlining the administrative apparatus, improving the quality of public service delivery, and supporting sustainable development. However, its implementation also faces many challenges. Specifically, during the restructuring and organization process, the system's documents and guidelines were incomplete and untimely, especially regarding the restructuring of public service units. This led to delays in the organization and operation of these units, hindering effective management and direction. Furthermore, the workload after mergers was substantial, requiring specialized staff to handle multiple areas, and some staff members had limited capabilities, resulting in delays in task implementation.

Local Party committees and authorities have identified the central task as stabilizing the organizational structure and clearly assigning responsibilities to specific individuals. Cadres are assigned according to their abilities and strengths, resulting in a streamlined structure without compromising work efficiency. Thanks to thorough preparation, the government's operations and direction have not been interrupted. Attention has been paid to receiving citizens and resolving administrative procedures.

Based on that reality, the People's Committee of the commune submitted to the People's Council of the commune the establishment of specialized departments under the People's Committee; issued Decisions stipulating the functions and tasks of agencies and units; transferred and assigned work to civil servants in these agencies, ensuring the requirements and efficiency of the work. It also issued working regulations and assigned tasks to the leaders of the People's Committee of the commune; and the members of the People's Committee of the commune for the term 2021-2026.

The hill and forest economy is a key model that helps people in Lac Luong commune improve their income and quality of life.

Comrade Bui Thi Binh, Secretary of the Party Committee of Lac Luong commune, said: In the coming time, the commune's Party Committee will focus on effectively leading the implementation of the goals of the First Party Congress Resolution, with the main focus on economic development, ensuring security and order, and improving the quality of service to the people. The commune will promote investment attraction, support production, social welfare, and poverty reduction; strengthen planning work, especially land and construction planning, as a foundation for the 2026-2030 public investment phase. At the same time, it will improve the organizational structure, enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of operations, and promote digitalization in handling administrative procedures, creating favorable conditions for the people to stabilize their lives and achieve sustainable socio-economic development.

Duc Anh

Source: https://baophutho.vn/tran-tro-vuot-kho-o-lac-luong-243132.htm