The urban landscape of Muong Lay is changing.

A view of Muong Lay town from above. *Photo: Contributor.*

New, spacious houses, widened and clean paved and concrete roads; upgraded and newly built schools, health stations, central cultural centers, and village cultural centers... the lives of the people in Lay Nua commune are gradually changing. The people are even more proud and attached to their homeland when, in mid-August, Lay Nua commune was recognized by the Appraisal Council as a New Rural Area (NRA) standard commune, an advanced NRA standard commune, and a model NRA standard commune for the 2021-2025 period in Dien Bien province, and was recognized as an advanced NRA standard commune in 2022.

Ms. Lo Thi Thanh Nhan, Secretary of the Lay Nua Commune Party Committee, said: In implementing the campaign "All people unite to build new rural areas and civilized urban areas," the commune's Party committee and government have directed mass organizations and the Fatherland Front committees in the villages to intensify propaganda and mobilization efforts to encourage people to effectively implement the Party's guidelines and the State's policies and laws; and to participate in donating land and labor to build social welfare projects. Along with that, the commune has taken advantage of and effectively implemented policies supporting people in developing production, providing seedlings and livestock, and guiding them in caring for and preventing diseases... Typical examples include the model of planting fruit trees in Bac 1 and Bac 2 villages (Thanh Ha lychees and Taiwanese mangoes); Commercial farming of American catfish... From 2019 to the present, Lay Nua commune has implemented a model of rice transplanters that do not use engines, thereby bringing many advantages such as: reducing the number of seeds when sowing, reducing seed purchase costs, ensuring planting density, limiting pests and diseases, and increasing yield...

Muong Lay town has 2 wards and 1 commune. In the process of striving to become a type IV urban area, effectively implementing the "All people unite to build new rural areas and civilized urban areas" campaign is considered a crucial task. Every year, under the leadership of the Town Party Committee, the town has been mobilizing the entire political system to build and beautify the urban area in a modern and civilized direction. The town is implementing the Urban Greenery Development Project in many areas; including planting trees on over 30 hectares along roads inside and outside the urban area; and arranging a system of parks and green spaces in conjunction with resettlement areas. In addition, the town is conducting extensive propaganda and launching a tree planting movement to achieve the goal of protecting the ecological environment, contributing to mitigating natural disasters, responding to climate change, improving the quality of life for residents, and the sustainable development of the town...

Along with developing the green space system to build a clean city, the town has now put into operation 5 wastewater collection and treatment stations. Daily collection, transportation, and treatment of household waste in both the inner and outer areas ensures clean streets, eliminating the problem of indiscriminate dumping and accumulated waste. Maintaining cleanliness in offices, units, residential areas, and villages is also a priority; to date, 100% of households have committed to not littering on the streets.

By implementing a comprehensive set of solutions, especially by mobilizing the people's strength and considering them as the main actors, the "All People Unite to Build New Rural Areas and Civilized Urban Areas" movement in Muong Lay town has had a strong ripple effect and achieved encouraging results. According to a review, in 2022, over 95% of families in the town were recognized and maintained the title of "Cultural Family"; 100% of agencies, units, schools, and businesses were recognized as meeting cultural standards; 2 wards achieved the title of "Ward Meeting Urban Civilization Standards"; 1 commune achieved the title of "Commune Meeting New Rural Cultural Standards"; and community centers or street headquarters operated effectively.

Ms. Ha Thi Anh Tuyet, Chairwoman of the Fatherland Front Committee of Muong Lay Town, said: "To ensure the effectiveness of the campaign, every year, the Standing Committee of the Fatherland Front of the town directs the Fatherland Front at all levels to advise the local Party committees and authorities to strengthen guidance and direction for implementation at the grassroots level, build programs and plans for activities each quarter and year; promote propaganda about the meaning, content, and objectives of the campaign to raise awareness and create consensus among the people; and organize 100% of residential areas to register to implement the contents of the campaign in accordance with the actual conditions of each locality to create a vibrant atmosphere of emulation in implementing the movement."

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