The Central Highlands province of Dak Nong has spent over 91 trillion VND (3.9 billion USD) on the national target programme on new-style rural area building during the 2010-2019 period, according to the provincial People Committee.

Building road is one of the criteria of the national target programme on building new-style rural areas  

At its meeting last week to review the 10-year implementation of the programme, the committee set targets for the locality’s new-style rural area building in the next five years, with three districts expected to be recognized as new-style rural areas in the 2021-25 period.

Chairman of the committee Nguyen Bon said developing infrastructure and promoting effective farming models as well as linkages between production and consumption of agricultural products will be strengthened to realise the targets.

“We need to focus on helping poor households escape from poverty and improve their lives, especially ethnic minorities,” he said.

The implementation of the programme during 2010-20 period resulted in 16 of the province’s 61 communes recognized as new-style rural areas. Transport infrastructure, electric and water supply systems, schools and medical facilities have improved significantly and issues related to culture and sport development as well as environmental protection have been addressed.
 
However, shortcomings still existed, including campaigns to raise public awareness, said Le Trong Yen, Director of the provincial Department of Agricultural and Rural Development.

“Difficulties in mobilizing capital resources and a lack of State capital have also created challenges for implementation,” he said.

In addition, some poor households continued to rely on support from the State and community, and have not been proactive in trying to escape from poverty, he added.

Forty local collectives, nine households, and 14 individuals received certificates of merit for their significant contributions to building new-style rural areas in the province.