“Sweet fruit” in the first difficult years. Part 2

With strong will and determination, along with efforts to overcome difficulties, after half a term of implementing the Resolution of the 14th Provincial Party Congress (term 2020 - 2025), Binh Thuan has achieved many important results. The socio-economy has made new steps of development, the material and spiritual life of the people has been significantly improved.

3 pillars of development in the right direction

The 14th Congress (term 2020 - 2025) of the Binh Thuan Party Committee identified the three pillars of the economy as high-tech agriculture, energy industry and tourism. Immediately after the congress, three resolutions on the "three economic pillars" were issued. Halfway through the term, the three pillars mentioned above have developed in the right direction; recovered quickly after the pandemic and had a strong breakthrough.

For example, in the tourism industry, Binh Thuan has entered the group of 10 provinces and cities in the country with the strongest growth rate today. Immediately after the Covid-19 pandemic, Binh Thuan took the Mui Ne national tourist area as the center to attract and increase tourists. Thanks to that, from the beginning of the term to the first 6 months of 2023, Binh Thuan welcomed more than 15.25 million visitors, with tourism revenue reaching 38,587 billion VND. Notably, since the two expressways Dau Giay - Phan Thiet - Vinh Hao passing through Binh Thuan were put into operation, the number of domestic tourists to Binh Thuan has doubled compared to before... In particular, the successful organization of the Opening Ceremony and activities of the National Tourism Year 2023 "Binh Thuan - Green Convergence" has been a great opportunity for Binh Thuan tourism to become a bright spot in the development of tourism in the Central region and the whole country.

In the industrial sector, in the past half of the term, the internal structure of the sector has shifted in a positive direction, attracting many large-scale industrial investment projects, especially energy projects. The electricity production and distribution industry has grown strongly, contributing greatly to the province's economy. Since the beginning of the term, the province has invested in and completed 10 renewable energy power plants and put them into operation, with a total capacity of about 362.6 MW, and a total investment of more than VND 13,980 billion. Up to now, the whole province has 47 power plants (including thermal power, hydropower, wind power, solar power) in operation, with a total capacity of more than 6,523 MW. And recently, the LNG Port Warehouse Project in Son My Commune, Ham Tan District with a total investment of about 1.3 billion USD deployed at Son My I Industrial Park along with the investment project of Son My I and Son My II LNG Thermal Power Plant with a total capacity of 4,500 MW, total capital of over 4 billion USD has been approved for investment. This project is considered a large-scale project, creating the largest gas-fired power complex in Vietnam, promising to make Binh Thuan the largest energy center in the country in the near future.

Regarding the agricultural "pillar", infrastructure serving agricultural production continues to receive increased investment, especially the irrigation system; completed the repair and upgrading of 7 reservoirs; continued investment in the construction of 4 irrigation projects and works; 14 water-saving irrigation works; solidified about 24 km of intra-field canals and 5 other types of works... have contributed to ensuring water sources for production. The production structure of the agricultural sector has been gradually adjusted in the direction of promoting local advantages in association with market demand. Initially attracting a number of investment projects in high-tech agricultural production. The crop structure has been transformed in the right direction; inefficient rice fields are rotated to grow other more efficient crops. Dragon fruit is still an advantageous crop, the production of dragon fruit according to good and equivalent production processes is being promoted; currently, the whole province has 9,037 hectares of dragon fruit certified by VietGAP; 560.5 hectares of dragon fruit have been granted GlobalGAP certification and 93 hectares of dragon fruit have been granted organic certification. A number of production linkage models have been formed, associated with preservation, processing and consumption of agricultural products according to the value chain, bringing high economic efficiency...

In addition to the achievements of the above three pillars, in the past half term, Binh Thuan has achieved many relatively comprehensive results in the fields of health, education, labor, employment, culture and sports. Notably, the province's GRDP in the first 6 months of 2023 reached 7.76%, ranking 11th out of 63 provinces and cities nationwide. It is expected that in 2023, the growth of the province's gross domestic product GRDP is estimated at 7.5%, exceeding the target set by the Provincial Party Congress of 7.2%. Meanwhile, according to the results of the announcement of the PAPI index (people's satisfaction with the effectiveness of state management, administration, policy implementation and public service provision of the government) in 2022, Binh Thuan province achieved 44.54 points, ranking 7th out of 63 provinces and cities nationwide. This is also the first time in 12 years of survey and publication (since 2011) that Binh Thuan has entered the top 10 provinces and cities with the highest scores in the country.

It can be affirmed that the Resolution of the 14th Provincial Party Congress identifying the three economic pillars of Binh Thuan in the period of 2020-2025 is completely correct. The reality of the past 2.5 years has proven that the development of these pillars has contributed significantly to helping Binh Thuan maintain a high growth rate in the context of numerous difficulties and challenges. At the same time, the above results are sustainable preparations, creating a strong breakthrough in the coming time, further accelerating the process of realizing the aspiration of a Binh Thuan with green, fast, sustainable development, strong in marine economy, energy and tourism, becoming one of the fairly developed provinces in the country.

Action for the people

On the path of development, Binh Thuan always sets the goal of people's happiness, the province has realized it in every step, reflected in every decision and action aiming at the basic criteria that people have a stable, prosperous and happy life. Since the beginning of the 14th term of the Provincial Party Congress, this goal has received special attention from the leadership, achieving many important results. The Provincial Party Committee has issued a Resolution on a number of policies and solutions to improve people's lives by 2025, with a vision to 2030. The Resolution clearly states the viewpoint of taking people as the center of development, closely linking economic development with education, vocational training and job creation, increasing income, improving people's lives. Creating an environment and conditions for comprehensive and even development between regions, ensuring fairness in access to public services, social welfare, health care and improving people's spiritual life. At the same time, ensure social security, take better care of families with revolutionary contributions, poor households, ethnic minorities, and social protection beneficiaries. Ensure security and safety for the people, for the happiness of the people. After more than half of the implementation term, people's material life as well as cultural and spiritual life have been constantly improved. People are guaranteed security and safety and enjoy social security, progress, fairness, and welfare policies. It is estimated that by the end of 2023, the poverty rate will decrease to 2.06%. People's lives and the economy of ethnic minority areas continue to improve. Regimes, policies, development programs and the supply of goods and materials for production and life for ethnic minorities have been well implemented, contributing to gradually reducing poverty to just over 2,800 households, accounting for 10.78%. All levels and sectors have implemented social security policies synchronously and effectively, improving people's lives. The movements of "Repaying gratitude", taking care of people with revolutionary contributions, and social protection subjects have been maintained regularly, deeply penetrating people's lives. Social security policies are increasingly improved, the number of beneficiaries is increasing; ensuring that 100% of social protection subjects are eligible for social assistance policies according to regulations. Taking care of the people is also a long journey with many concerns that Binh Thuan leaders have determined to carry out in the past half term. Typically, the Provincial People's Council has considered and approved the investment policy of Ca Ty Embankment (from Duc Thanh Bridge to Ung Van Khiem Street), with a total capital of more than 486 billion VND. This project has been awaited by the people for a long time. Or, the Ka Pet reservoir project in Ham Thuan Nam district is an important national project that the National Assembly decided to invest in 2019. However, recently, from an article, public opinion across the country has been very interested in this project. People in Binh Thuan who are suffering from drought every year support the project, saying that it is necessary, while those who do not support it say that Binh Thuan is destroying the forest. With the determination to care for the people, the head of the Binh Thuan Provincial Party Committee said: “When seeing people suffering from drought, trees and animals dying due to lack of water, being a local leader but not being able to care for the people is truly a mistake to the people. Protecting the forest is for the people, protecting the water is also for the people, this project is for the people…”. “… We have to put ourselves in the position of the people, living in the drought that has existed for so many years. I promise that whatever is right for the people, I will do it, if it is beneficial to the people, I will do it, but if it is harmful, no matter how small, I will not do it. We do not work here recklessly, nor do we work unscientifically…”, the Secretary of Binh Thuan Provincial Party Committee emphasized.

It can be said that thanks to these determinations, the appearance of the province has changed, especially in terms of socio-economic development. People's lives have been improved and many poor households have been reduced. People have great confidence in the leadership of the Party.

“If it only depends on policies, it cannot be implemented. The People's Council must step in and review each task to have resolutions to remove institutional difficulties, or to issue resolutions to promulgate mechanisms and policies to do, or to have decisions on policies to do. It is not that we have them but do not dare to do them. The important thing is to do them openly, transparently, and properly, then we can still do them normally. I strongly agree with Binh Thuan province in having a specialized resolution on the people. The results of innovation must be enjoyed by the people, and the results of innovation cannot be successful without the participation of the people.”
During a working trip to Binh Thuan province, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue emphasized.