Building new rural areas is not just about building "bridges, roads, schools, and stations"

Many results after 2 years of implementing the program for the period 2021-2025

According to the general assessment, after 2 years of implementation, the National Target Program (NTP) on new rural construction for the 2021-2025 period has achieved many encouraging results.

Mr. Nguyen Van Vong - Deputy Chief of the Office of New Rural Area Coordination (NTM) of Quang Ninh province said that up to now, Quang Ninh has basically achieved 8/8 contents according to the national criteria set for provinces and cities to complete the task of building NTM in the period of 2021-2025. Quang Ninh is preparing a dossier to request recognition of the province completing NTM construction in 2022.

In 2023, Quang Ninh province strives to have 2 more districts meeting advanced NTM standards, namely Van Don and Hai Ha; 2 communes meeting advanced NTM standards, including Quang La and Song Khoai; 2 communes meeting model NTM standards: Hong Thai Tay and Quang Minh.

Peaceful life of rural people. Photo: Vu Long

Mr. Vong also emphasized that by 2025, Quang Ninh aims to have 58/98 communes meeting advanced NTM standards, 32/98 model NTM communes; 5/7 districts meeting advanced NTM standards; continue to improve the quality of criteria and indicators, focus on developing production to increase the income of rural people in 2025 to be twice as high as in 2020.

According to Mr. Phan Van Sinh - Deputy Chief of the Office of New Rural Development Coordination of Dak Nong province, in the period of 2021-2025, the capital plan to implement the National Target Program on New Rural Development was assigned over 1,000 billion VND, of which over 300 billion VND in 2023. As of mid-September 2023, the province had disbursed over 156 billion VND in capital for 2022-2023, reaching 31.2%.

Up to now, the whole Dak Nong province has 36/60 communes meeting the NTM standards, 1 commune meeting the advanced NTM standards, 100% of communes meeting the criteria on irrigation and electricity; 58/60 communes meeting the criteria on rural commercial infrastructure...;

Building new rural areas is not just about building "bridges, roads, schools, and stations"

According to the Central Office for New Rural Area Coordination, the National Target Program on New Rural Area Construction for the 2021-2025 period was approved by the National Assembly in Resolution No. 25/2021/QH15 dated July 28, 2021 and the Prime Minister approved the Program in Decision No. 263/QD-TTg dated February 22, 2022.

The goal by 2025 is that at least 80% of communes nationwide will meet NTM standards, about 40% of communes will meet advanced NTM standards, at least 10% of communes will meet model NTM standards, and no communes will meet less than 15 criteria. Strive to have at least 50% of districts, towns, and provincial cities nationwide meet NTM standards, completing the task of building NTM. At least 20% of districts that meet standards will be recognized as advanced NTM districts, model NTM districts, etc.

However, according to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) Le Minh Hoan, building a new rural area is a revolution in thinking, awareness and goals, moving towards solutions to overcome conflicts in the process of urbanization and rural modernization. There, rural people must realize that they are the subjects of the village and the State only plays a supporting role.

Therefore, building a new rural area is not only about building bridges, roads, schools, and stations, but it is a multi-purpose program, including 6 specialized programs on tourism development; science and technology; digital transformation; strengthening environmental protection, food safety and rural clean water supply; improving the quality and effectiveness of implementing security and order criteria; and the OCOP program. In addition, there are issues such as: Gender equality, nutrition for rural residents, agricultural extension, etc.

To continue to effectively implement the Program, strive to complete the goals of 2023 and by the end of 2025 in the direction of improving quality, going into depth, ensuring substance, efficiency and sustainability, contributing to completing the goals of the 2021-2025 period assigned by the National Assembly and the Government, a number of solutions are proposed, focusing on further improving the quality and effectiveness of coordination between central ministries, branches and localities in the management, direction, operation and implementation of the program;

Direct and coordinate the effective implementation of 11 contents of the Program; 6 key thematic programs to improve the quality of life of rural people and solve existing problems in building new rural areas. Closely link the implementation of new rural area building contents with the Party's policies and orientations related to land, agriculture, farmers, rural areas, innovation and development of collective economy...

To improve the effectiveness of program implementation, localities need to review and perfect the system of mechanisms and policies to support the construction of new rural areas in order to promptly remove difficulties and ensure suitability with actual conditions.

Along with that, it is necessary to create unique products and cultural identities of rural villages, develop craft villages, create highlights to attract rural tourism; gradually improve the quality of life of people, gradually narrow the gap between rural and urban areas.