Building Dong Thap province "Green - Smart - Creative - Preserving cultural identity"

TCCS - From July 1, 2025, Dong Thap province will open up a larger development space, with abundant potential and resources, and maintain a geostrategic position in intra-regional and inter-regional connectivity. Entering a new era of development, with the consensus of the Party Committee, government and people, Dong Thap province is determined to build and develop in the direction of "Green - Smart - Creative - Preserving cultural identity", prosperous, dynamic, friendly, contributing with the whole country to realize the aspiration of "a strong Vietnam by 2045".

Politburo member and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh inspects the construction progress of the Cao Lanh - An Huu expressway project, phase 1, in Dong Thap province_Photo: VNA

Step by step "transformation" in the innovation process

Starting with many difficulties, backward agriculture, fragmented and small-scale production, uncultivated land, underdeveloped irrigation; handicraft production lacking raw materials and fuel; weak social infrastructure; limited traffic connections, trade mainly by waterway; underdeveloped education, low rate of school-age children; difficult medical facilities..., but with high determination, great efforts, drastic actions, overcoming difficulties and challenges, the Party Committee, government and people of Dong Thap province have created breakthroughs, over 40 years with the whole country in the renovation process, have created many "bright spots" in socio -economic development.

Innovation in thinking in economic development, especially agricultural economy . The policy of exploiting the Dong Thap Muoi region, implementing the Go Cong sweetening project and the Agricultural Restructuring Project has helped Dong Thap province from a deeply flooded, alum-contaminated, barren land to become prosperous; from producing one-season rice crop to producing three high-quality rice crops, food output, land use coefficient, and farmers' income have increased significantly, becoming a key food production locality of the country. In 2024, the province's rice production value will reach more than 16,000 billion VND, an increase of 3.6% compared to 2020, accounting for 32.15% of the agricultural sector structure. This is also one of the five key industries in the province's Agricultural Restructuring Project towards specialization, intelligence, international integration and adaptation to climate change.

The transformation of thinking from agricultural production to agricultural economic thinking has achieved remarkable results, creating a strong change in socio-economic development. People actively participate in agricultural production, promote the transformation of crop and livestock structure, apply science and technology to production, form linkage chains, concentrated and high-quality agricultural production areas. The policy of identifying investment concentration and developing key industries has created a breakthrough in developing industries, forming new value chains, improving competitiveness, and expanding markets. In particular, the production of tra fish, fruits, rice, and ornamental flowers has always been in the leading group in the country, especially the pineapple specialized growing area of ​​the province is in the top group in the Mekong Delta region.

Thanks to the implementation of the growth model, the reasonable economic restructuring towards industrialization and modernization, from a purely agricultural locality, Dong Thap has made a strong transformation into a province with a diversified, multi-value economy, with the foundation of industry, services and high-tech agriculture; rapidly developing industrial zones and clusters, attracting many investment projects, creating jobs and increasing budget revenue. The local industrial production value has always been maintained in the group of fairly large scale, rich in potential in the region.

Taking care of comprehensive cultural and social development. After 40 years of construction and development, the province's health sector has made much progress, 100% of commune health stations have met standards, increasingly meeting the people's needs for medical examination and treatment. The school consolidation program has received investment attention; policies for people with meritorious services, social security, poverty reduction, and the elimination of temporary houses, bamboo and leaf houses, and dilapidated houses... have been comprehensively promoted; people's lives have been improved, and the poverty rate has decreased to about 0.81%. In the period of 2021 - 2024, the province has supported nearly 45,500 poor households, near-poor households, newly escaped poverty households, students, with loan turnover reaching 2,066 billion VND; issued nearly 330,000 health insurance cards; exempted and reduced tuition fees and supported study costs for more than 103,000 students; supported vocational training for nearly 4,200 workers; supported the construction of nearly 4,900 new houses and supported electricity bills for more than 36,400 poor households, near-poor households, households in difficult circumstances...

The movement "All people unite to build a cultural life" associated with the construction of new rural areas has always received special attention from local Party committees and authorities, especially in the construction of cultural families. In the period 2014 - 2023, the average rate of cultural families reached 91.68%. In 2023, the whole province had 402,925/424,839 families recognized as "Cultural families", reaching a rate of 94.84% (in 2014 it reached 87.38%). In 2023, the whole province had 569/572 hamlets recognized as "New rural cultural hamlets", reaching a rate of 99.48%; 124/126 hamlets recognized as "Civilized urban hamlets", reaching a rate of 98.41% .

Promoting the development of socio-economic infrastructure. To create a premise for socio-economic development, in recent times, Dong Thap province has paid special attention to investing in completing the transport infrastructure in a synchronous and modern direction, increasing the connectivity of economic zones in the province and localities in the region, contributing to creating a driving force to promote socio-economic development, attracting investment; forming a complete transport network, shortening the gap between rural and urban areas, contributing to completing the task of building new rural areas in the whole province by 2024.

Successfully build a local image with many representative and highly symbolic values. Harmoniously combine the value of local resources with the potential of nature, geography, history, culture, and people of "Dong Thap with affection, dynamism, and creativity", creating opportunities to attract investment, develop agriculture, trade, services, and tourism, contributing to promoting socio-economic development.

Effectively exploit potential and competitive advantages

Restructuring the agricultural sector, making an important contribution to economic growth and rural development. Based on comparative advantages, the province has effectively implemented the Project on crop cutting, crop conversion, forming a 2-crop/year rice production area; shifting the crop structure on inefficient rice land to growing ornamental flowers, fruit trees, and aquaculture to bring high economic efficiency; developing livestock and poultry farming in the direction of farms and industry; strongly developing the agricultural sector in the direction of modernity and organicity, creating a value chain of key products that meet the standards of many markets and expanding export markets; ensuring that 100% of fishing vessels in operation meet operating standards, update data, maintain regular and smooth information in accordance with regulations. The collective economy, focusing on cooperatives, has made new developments. Currently, the whole province has 537 cooperatives operating effectively, contributing to the socio-economic development of the locality in recent times.

The digital transformation of the agricultural sector has achieved positive results, 100% of data from the province to the commune has been digitized and provided openly to serve the people. The requirements for environmental protection and adaptation to climate change have been integrated into the implementation of investment projects and production models to effectively prevent and combat drought and salinity. The "Smart Village" model has been replicated by many communes, and to date the whole province has 6 "Smart Villages".

Industry, trade, services and tourism have recovered after the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, the province has 6 industrial parks and 17 industrial clusters in operation, and the restructuring of the industrial sector has achieved many important results, contributing to improving the value chain of the province's key industries. Resolutely implementing new mechanisms and policies, promoting administrative procedure reform, and attracting investment. In the period of 2020 - 2025, the province has attracted a variety of new industrial types and industries, especially renewable energy (solar power, wind power). Infrastructure of industrial parks and clusters has been completed, the occupancy rate of industrial parks and clusters in the area has reached over 85%; small-scale industries and traditional craft villages have received attention and support for development; the One Commune One Product (OCOP) program has developed strongly, with 1,002 products, the most in the country (including 199 4-star products and 4 5-star products). Trade and service activities have developed rapidly, richly and diversely, the provincial e-commerce floor has become an important distribution channel for many local products; effectively exploiting tourism potential, especially developing agricultural tourism models, river tourism, experience, ecology..., attracting millions of domestic and foreign tourists to visit, travel, experience, contributing to increasing the local gross regional domestic product (GRDP).

Improve the efficiency of exploitation, mobilization, management and use of investment resources, overcome bottlenecks in infrastructure, and meet development requirements . Budget revenue and expenditure are strictly managed according to regulations, operated flexibly, saving expenditures, and increasing revenue sources stably. In the period of 2020 - 2025, the total budget revenue in the area reached more than 96.4 trillion VND, an increase of 1.17 times compared to the period of 2015 - 2020. Mobilizing investment capital for social development in the period of 2021 - 2025 is estimated at more than 346 trillion VND, accounting for 29.3% of GRDP.

Synchronously deploy solutions to mobilize social resources, associated with restructuring public investment, prioritizing the allocation of public investment capital to build connecting infrastructure, key projects in key sectors and fields. Traffic infrastructure is built synchronously. Urban traffic system is expanded, rural traffic is increasingly improved, 100% of communes have car roads to the commune center.

Focus on developing urban infrastructure, increasing both quantity and quality, forming economic-urban regions. The central urban area continues to develop synchronously, becoming more and more spacious and modern. Smart control centers in some urban areas are put into operation. Irrigation infrastructure is invested to meet irrigation requirements, prevent high tides to serve agricultural production, especially effective in preventing and combating drought and salinity.

The Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) is maintained at a high level. The private economy has gradually become an important driving force in the province's economic development. In the period of 2020 - 2025, 7,670 new enterprises were established, an increase of 1,637 enterprises (accounting for 27.1%) compared to the period of 2015 - 2020. Startup activities in the province continue to develop with many support activities, maintaining the "Mekong Startup Forum", certified by the National Startup Program as "Outstanding Locality in Building a Startup Ecosystem in 2024".

Manage and use resources effectively, protect the environment and proactively respond to climate change. Management, exploitation and use of resources are ensured to be reasonable according to regulations and sustainable, promptly solving urgent environmental problems. Environmental indexes are ranked high nationwide. Appraisal and assessment of environmental impacts of investment projects and environmental licensing are highly effective.

The land information system and database are connected seamlessly from the province to the grassroots. The online monitoring system for mineral resources for mines has been completed and put into use. All operating industrial zones have centralized wastewater treatment systems that meet environmental standards. Environmental management at production, business, and service establishments, industrial zones and clusters is strictly ensured, combining prevention, inspection, and treatment. Many economic models have been deployed, especially in the agricultural sector, adapting to natural conditions and climate change.

Tourists experience harvesting Lai Vung pink grapefruit, an eco-tourism product in Dong Thap province_Photo: VNA

Realizing the aspiration of becoming a "Green - Smart - Creative - Preserving Cultural Identity" province, developing rapidly, sustainably, prosperously and happily in the new era of development

Immediately after the ceremony to announce the establishment of Dong Thap province on the basis of merging Dong Thap and Tien Giang provinces, the entire political system of the province entered the peak period of perfecting the apparatus from the province to the grassroots level according to the 2-level local government model, ensuring a streamlined, strong, effective, efficient apparatus, strongly decentralizing to the grassroots level to be closer to the people, creating space for socio-economic development. The province proceeded to arrange 305 previous commune-level administrative units into 102 new communes and wards (including 82 communes and 20 wards), arranging the new commune's working headquarters according to a proactive and flexible plan, immediately getting to work with a spirit of urgency and synchronization. The commune-level political system has been improved in the direction of streamlining the apparatus, conducting a pilot operation of a shared digital platform serving the 2-level local government model, aiming to improve operational efficiency, promote decentralization and delegation of power to the commune level and enhance the application of technology and digital transformation to improve the quality of service to people and businesses. Thereby, helping to resolve administrative procedures and exchange electronic documents, connect and share information and data smoothly and uninterruptedly from the first day. Commune-level public service units have been established in the direction of streamlining focal points, promoting autonomy, focusing on assigning units to serve basic and essential public services to commune-level management. The whole province has 102 commune-level public administrative service centers. People coming to do procedures only need "one door - one time - on time". The implementation of the new local government model has shown initial effectiveness, with a streamlined, dynamic commune-level government apparatus that operates more effectively and efficiently, helping to bring people closer, promoting administrative reform through the application of information technology and digitalization in administration, management and operation, better serving the needs of people and businesses, initially creating trust and excitement among cadres, party members and people.

Thoroughly grasping the Party's policies and resolutions, especially currently focusing on implementing the Politburo's strategic resolutions: "On breakthroughs in science and technology development, innovation and national digital transformation"; "On international integration in the new situation"; "On innovation in law-making and enforcement to meet the requirements of national development in the new era"; "On private economic development", "On breakthroughs in education and training development", "On some breakthrough solutions, strengthening protection, care and improvement of people's health", "On ensuring national energy security until 2030, with a vision to 2045"... the province continues to promote its revolutionary tradition, spirit of solidarity, innovation and strong development aspirations, determined to focus on implementing 5 strategic breakthroughs:

Firstly , develop a modern and synchronous transport infrastructure that adapts to climate change. Prioritize the implementation of key transport projects, connecting Ho Chi Minh City with the Mekong Delta, opening up regional connections to attract strategic investors, creating momentum for socio-economic development. Complete and upgrade the rural transport system, inter-commune and ward transport across the province. Organize development space, form 5 dynamic economic corridors and clear bottlenecks, create new growth momentum, promote rapid and sustainable development. That is:

1- Central economic corridor along the expressway and National Highway 1. The main development corridor, connecting the Southeast region and the Mekong Delta. Prioritizing the development of multi-industry, high-tech, modern urban areas, and regional logistics centers. Forming large industrial zones and clusters in the Chau Thanh and Tan Phuoc areas. Developing urban areas in Cai Lay, Go Cong, Cho Gao, Sa Dec, Cao Lanh, and Hong Ngu into bustling service and commercial centers, the core of spreading development throughout the corridor.

2- Eastern coastal economic corridor along the coastal road and Highway 50. Strategic corridor for marine economic development. Prioritizing the development of coastal economic zones, seaport industry, wind power, resort tourism, coastal urban areas and sea reclamation projects, in a dynamic, modern direction, adapting to climate change.

3- Economic corridor along Tien River from the border to the estuary. Economic development corridor based on the advantage of “river frontage”. Prioritizing the development of eco-tourism, high-tech agriculture, agricultural and aquatic product processing industry and waterway logistics.

4- Inland economic corridor connecting Dong Thap Muoi along National Highway N1, N2, National Highway 30. Corridor for large-scale agricultural commodity development. Prioritizing the development of specialized rice, fruit, freshwater aquaculture areas and processing centers, agricultural product hubs. The focus is on building an ecological, modern, circular agriculture, conserving biodiversity, and effectively adapting to climate change.

5- Economic corridor along Hau River. Corridor for developing multimodal logistics services, processing industry and shipbuilding industry.

Second, develop ecological, modern, high-tech agriculture, linked with processing industry, value chains and export markets. Restructure agriculture towards green, modern, sustainable, multi-value; promote circular production, adapt to climate change, form concentrated raw material areas. Replicating effective linkage and cooperation models associated with rural digital transformation and developing agricultural tourism. Create favorable conditions for farmers to link production in chains, become satellites for large enterprises or develop into enterprises, contributing to the formation of new production capacity in agriculture.

Third, develop industry rapidly, in a modern and sustainable direction, becoming the main driving force of economic growth. Prioritize the development of processing industry closely linked to raw material areas. Attract projects using advanced, environmentally friendly technology, creating high added value. Reorganize industrial space, form key industrial zones with geo-economic advantages and connect with strategic traffic axes.

Fourth, preserve and promote traditional cultural values, from historical relics, folk festivals, craft villages, to building a rich and modern grassroots cultural life. Regarding tourism, focus on river eco-tourism, experiencing lotus ponds, visiting Sa Dec flower village, exploring Cai Be - Thoi Son gardens, promoting cultural relics. At the same time, the province encourages the development of modern trade services, agricultural wholesale markets, logistics, e-commerce, closely linked with tourism and modern green agriculture; making tourism - services a key economic sector, contributing sustainably to overall growth.

Fifth, develop high-quality human resources, especially in the fields of information technology, healthcare, education, logistics, public administration, agricultural biotechnology, post-harvest technology, agricultural automation, environmental engineering, food technology, and smart agricultural processing. Innovate vocational and university education programs in line with the province's development needs, focusing on practical skills, foreign languages, and information technology; strengthen links with large domestic and foreign enterprises, institutes, and schools.

Sixth, promote the application of science, technology, innovation, digital transformation in priority sectors and fields and state management. Enhance the management capacity of agencies in the provincial political system, improve the investment environment in an open, stable and favorable direction for development. Continue to deploy the e-government platform, upgrade the online public service system, create an effective administrative management system, easy to access for people and businesses./.

Source: https://tapchicongsan.org.vn/web/guest/thuc-tien-kinh-nghiem1/-/2018/1141302/xay-dung-tinh-dong-thap-%E2%80%9Cxanh---thong-minh---sang-tao---giu-gin-ban-sac-van-hoa%E2%80%9D.aspx