Gia Lam urban district is undergoing significant transformation daily

Gia Lam has successfully achieved advanced new rural development standards in all its communes, with five communes namely Co Bi, Phu Dong, Duong Xa, Bat Trang and Ninh Hiep certified as model new rural areas. In 2024, the district will focus on meeting outstanding criteria in three communes: Yen Thuong, Van Duc and Da Ton. Gia Lam is preparing documentation for recognition as an advanced new rural district and advancing plans for upgrading to an urban district.

Prosperous countryside

After achieving advanced new rural development standards in 2022, Ninh Hiep commune has focused on maintaining and enhancing its criteria while working towards exemplary status. Leaders report effective resource mobilization for the 19 advanced criteria, particularly in income and security. From 2010 to 2021, the commune invested over VND454 billion in development. It has leveraged local traditions to boost economic growth and increase community income.

In Bat Trang commune, advanced new rural development criteria were completed in 2020 and model new rural development criteria were met in 2023 with two optional areas: security and tourism. At present, 100% of alleys are well lit, and all schools and clinics meet national standards. The commune has five community cultural destinations and all five villages are certified “Cultural Village.”

According to Chairman of Bat Trang People's Committee Pham Huy Khoi, in tourism, Bat Trang has been accredited as a tourist destination of the city and attracted a large number of domestic and international tourists.

Van Duc commune now has no poor households and only nine near-poor households, with the per capita income of VND79.52 million a year. All households have regular and safe access to the national power grid. Healthcare facilities satisfy national standards. The farming yield is estimated at VND650 million per hectare, even reaching over VND1 billion in some places. The commune has 17 4-star OCOP products, five 3-star OCOP products, and 37 VietGAP-certified products including Vietnamese luffa, gourd, long eggplant, cucumber, green squash and pumpkin. OCOP- and VIETGAP-certified products all have QR codes for origin traceability. Van Duc commune has a total score of 96.5 points on model new rural development.

Nguyen Tien Hoang, Director of Gia Lam Economic Department, said: The district will complete and submit records to the Hanoi New Rural Area Appraisal Council for recognition of Van Duc, Da Ton and Yen Thuong communes as exemplary new rural communes in 2024, thus raising the total number of exemplary new rural communes in Gia Lam to eight. Advanced and model new rural development achievements have brought a lot of changes to rural villages in Gia Lam district and helped improve the material and spiritual life of villagers.

Gia Lam district's infrastructure is continuously upgraded to support both residents' needs and economic growth

Marshaling huge resources

Vice Chairman of the Gia Lam People's Committee Truong Van Hoc said that the committee has launched many programs and resolutions to implement the 22nd Gia Lam Party Congress and directives from the Hanoi authorities. These programs focus on developing advanced and exemplary new rural areas and transitioning Gia Lam into an urban district from 2021 to 2025. The district has assigned specific tasks to relevant bodies to ensure progress and quality. Additionally, it has coordinated with municipal agencies to evaluate criteria for new rural development and proposed solutions to address challenges.

The district has mobilized over VND 8,730 billion for the new rural development program from 2010 to 2023, including more than VND 4,624 billion from 2019 to 2023. Many localities have discovered effective methods and engaged significant resources for this initiative.

In addition to the State budget, Gia Lam had over 600 households give away more than 61,000 square meters of residential land and agricultural land for this cause, particularly villagers in Le Chi, Kim Son, Dinh Xuyen and Dang Xa communes, raised nearly VND400 billion and engaged people to spend more than 18,338 working days on building cultural houses, cemeteries, traffic, canals and other facilities. Therefore, Gia Lam district fulfilled all the criteria and has been submitted by the Hanoi People's Committee to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to consider and recognize the district as meeting advanced new rural development standards in 2023.

Mr. Ngo Van Ngon, Deputy Chief of the Hanoi Coordination Office for New Rural Development, said: Since the launch of this program, Hanoi has always been determined that new rural development is a journey that has a beginning and has no end. Shortly, it will become an urban district, but it now still needs to build new rural areas. In the coming time, together with transforming communes into wards in line with the city’s general orientation, Gia Lam district needs to engage more people to improve new rural criteria and mobilize investment resources for planned communes to fulfill their advanced and exemplary new rural development standards in 2021-2025.