Kien Giang Sets Aside over $750M for Building New-Style Rural Areas

The Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang aims to have all of its 116 communes fulfil the criteria in the national target program on building new-style rural areas in the 2021-2025 period, with funding estimated at some VND17.4 trillion ($751.47 million). In 2021 alone, nine communes strive to win recognition, while the districts of Vinh Thuan and Kien Luong as well as Ha Tien city are to accomplish the task of building new-style rural areas. Local authorities also strive to fulfil targets on the rate of households with access to clean water of 99% and health insurance coverage of over 90%, and the reduction of the multidimensional poverty household rate of 1% while creating 35,000 jobs. The province will bolster the transfer and application of modern technologies in agricultural production and consider models for large-scale agricultural production, supply chains, environmental protection, climate change adaptation, and agricultural cooperatives. Due regard will be paid to the “One Commune, One Product” (OCOP) program, as Kien Giang aims to have up to 50 products of at least three-stars. Some VND64 billion will be allocated for the implementation of the program. Kien Giang earmarked over VND732 billion last year for building new-style rural areas, in particular infrastructure investment. More than 6,365 km of rural roads were cemented and irrigation networks improved. The rate of poor households came down to 1.69%. As of the end of January 2021, 81 communes in Kien Giang had been recognized as new-style rural areas. Eleven districts and cities had half of their localities complete necessary tasks. (Vietnam Plus)