Establishment of Hoa Lu city - The driving force of the province's development

Meeting the requirements of the "mission" of a nuclear city

The merger of Hoa Lu district and Ninh Binh city to establish Hoa Lu city is not only a mandatory requirement according to the policy of the Politburo, the Resolution of the National Assembly Standing Committee and the Resolution of the Government on the arrangement of administrative units at district and commune levels in the period of 2023 - 2030, but also comes from the practical development requirements of Ninh Binh city to be worthy of being the core urban center of the province, towards the common goal of striving to turn Ninh Binh into a centrally-run city with the characteristics of a Millennium Heritage City, a creative city.

Located at the southern gateway of the Northern Coastal region, and at the same time the southeastern gateway of the Hanoi capital region, Ninh Binh city has long played the role of a central core urban area, but at present it has not met that expectation because Ninh Binh city is facing great difficulties and challenges, such as: The natural area of Ninh Binh city is only 46.75 km2, much lower than the city's standards according to the provisions of Resolution No. 27 dated September 21, 2022 of the National Assembly Standing Committee (150 km2), and is too small compared to the urban areas that are provincial centers of provinces that have been and are expanding urban development space. Meanwhile, the city has not yet promoted its advantages in terms of geographical location, national and regional traffic to become a core urban area for urban development of the whole province and promote the development of neighboring urban areas. The scale of Ninh Binh urban area is too small compared to the speed of urban development, the social infrastructure in the central area is overloaded, the technical infrastructure does not meet the needs of urban development...

As for Hoa Lu district, although located between the two major urban areas of the province, Ninh Binh city and Tam Diep city, it has made remarkable progress, but the current management model of the rural government has limited the ability to make breakthroughs, and has not fully exploited the potential and strengths of Hoa Lu's geographical location and natural resources. The management, preservation and promotion of the value of the scenic spots and historical and cultural heritages of the ancient capital region still have many limitations... Therefore, when linked with Ninh Binh city, it will be a favorable condition to "awaken" the potential, transforming it into strengths and resources for the socio-economic development of the locality.

Establishment of Hoa Lu city - The driving force of the province's development — In 2024, Hoa Lu district and Ninh Binh city will merge to form Hoa Lu city. In the photo: Hoa Lu Ancient Capital's welcome gate.

On the other hand, Hoa Lu district has a great location, space and potential for developing industry - handicrafts, urban areas, services - trade, eco-tourism, history, culture, festivals... Accordingly, when Hoa Lu district is merged into Ninh Binh city, it will create favorable conditions for re-studying the organization and distribution of space for developing industry, urban areas, tourism, services, trade, agriculture, technical infrastructure and social infrastructure systems, rural residential areas; Forming service centers to support production in industrial parks and clusters, conveniently linked with the infrastructure system to develop the city after the arrangement to become a provincial city with the orientation of "Millennium Heritage City", associated with focusing on developing tourism - services based on the cultural - historical values of Hoa Lu Ancient Capital and the outstanding global values of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex to make the city a national cultural - historical and tourism center of international significance.

Throughout the history of formation and development, Ninh Binh city and Hoa Lu district have been separated, merged, and adjusted administrative boundaries many times; as an area closely associated with the cultural and historical values of the ancient capital of Hoa Lu and the outstanding global values of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage of Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, Hoa Lu district and Ninh Binh city share specific elements of historical traditions, culture, ethnicity, religion, beliefs, customs and practices of the ancient capital region. Therefore, merging Hoa Lu district into Ninh Binh city to establish Hoa Lu city aims to continue the long-standing historical tradition of this land. Not only that, the establishment of Hoa Lu city will ensure compliance with urban planning and development orientations, the nature of the new administrative unit after the merger is "Millennium Heritage Urban Area". This is also the basis for completing the criteria for recognizing the new administrative unit after the merger (Hoa Lu city) as a type I urban area under the province.

The merger of Hoa Lu district and Ninh Binh city to establish Hoa Lu city is an inevitable and truly necessary need to expand the management scope of the urban government to replace the existing rural government, meeting the management requirements of the grassroots government for the area in the process of high urbanization; creating space and conditions to expand urban development space, increase the urbanization rate of the province; contributing to increasing the scale of administrative units, streamlining the apparatus, reducing staff, improving the efficiency of socio-economic investment, efficiency and effectiveness of the political system.

Party's will and people's will

According to comrade Dinh Van Tien, member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Secretary of the Ninh Binh City Party Committee: the adjustment and expansion of the city's administrative boundaries is the wish and aspiration of the Party Committee, government and people of Ninh Binh city. This event is of special significance for the city to have conditions to well carry out its mission of preserving heritage values, core cultural values along with carrying out the mission of a central dynamic urban area. At the same time, with the development orientation of "Millennium Heritage City", Hoa Lu city in the future will also have more conditions to focus on developing tourism - services based on the cultural - historical values of the Hoa Lu Ancient Capital and the outstanding global value of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage of Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex to make the city a national cultural - historical and tourism center of international significance; create space, room and investment motivation for synchronous and complete development, meeting the requirements of urban development in the direction of "Green and Sustainable".

According to the overall plan, after its establishment, Hoa Lu city will have a natural area of about 150.67 km2, including 20 administrative units (15 wards and 5 communes), with a population of over 250,000 people. After developing the Project "Establishing Hoa Lu city, simultaneously arranging commune-level administrative units and establishing wards under the city", Ninh Binh city directed the organization to collect voters' opinions. As a result, 99.45% of the city's voters agreed to the establishment of Hoa Lu city under Ninh Binh province; over 99.7% of voters agreed to the arrangement of commune-level administrative units and the establishment of wards under the city.

Along with Ninh Binh city, in recent times, Hoa Lu district has actively promoted and informed about the Project "Establishing Hoa Lu city, at the same time arranging commune-level administrative units and establishing wards under the authority", thereby helping voters and people understand the policy, understand the purpose and significance of arranging district-level and commune-level administrative units. Localities have conducted a survey of voters. As a result of the survey, 97.89% of Hoa Lu district voters agreed to establish Hoa Lu city; 96.93% of voters agreed to establish wards under Hoa Lu city.

Receiving the news that Hoa Lu city will be established, the people of Ninh Binh city and Hoa Lu district are very happy and excited because the people's desire and aspiration for many years for an urban area worthy of the role of the province's core urban area is gradually coming into existence.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Huy, a voter of Tan Thanh ward (Ninh Binh city) excitedly shared: Many opinions say that after the merger, the name Ninh Binh city will no longer exist, but I think that Hoa Lu district and Ninh Binh city have similarities in culture and geographical space, so the culture of the city's people will not be lost but the long-standing historical traditions of this land will be continued, ensuring the specific factors of historical traditions, culture, ethnicity, religion, beliefs, customs and practices of the Ancient Capital region, associated with the development orientation of "Millennium Heritage City", creating conditions to focus on developing tourism - services based on the cultural - historical values of Hoa Lu Ancient Capital and the outstanding global values of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage of Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex so that the city becomes a national cultural - historical and tourism center of international significance. Furthermore, the name Hoa Lu city is consistent with the urban designation of Ninh Binh provincial capital; consistent with the current and future integration and development process.

Mr. Do Van Tu, a voter in Thien Ton town (Hoa Lu) said: Looking forward to this event, I, like many people in Thien Son street (Thien Ton town), am very excited and eager to officially become citizens of Hoa Lu city. Everyone hopes that after Hoa Lu district merges into Ninh Binh city to form Hoa Lu city, people's lives as well as local facilities and infrastructure will receive more attention. Regarding the arrangement of commune-level administrative units and the establishment of wards under the city after the merger, including the merger of Thien Ton town with Ninh My commune into a new administrative unit, Ninh My ward, I think it is very appropriate, creating room for local development.

However, I am also concerned about the arrangement of administrative units, people will have to go through procedures to change and update information on related documents. Therefore, I hope these shortcomings will be overcome, creating the most favorable conditions for people when carrying out administrative procedures in the early stages of the city's establishment.

The merger of Hoa Lu district and Ninh Binh city to establish Hoa Lu city; the arrangement of commune-level administrative units and the establishment of wards in Hoa Lu city are of great significance, marking a remarkable development step of Ninh Binh province in general and the area where Hoa Lu city was established in particular. To move towards the establishment of Hoa Lu city, there will still be a lot of work to do, but the consensus of each citizen in implementing the policy of arranging administrative units is a favorable start for the implementation of the next steps to ensure compliance with regulations, progress, science and efficiency, creating a premise for Hoa Lu city to develop strongly in the future, meeting the development expectations of the people.

Article and photos: Mai Lan

Source: https://baoninhbinh.org.vn/thanh-lap-thanh-pho-hoa-lu-dong-luc-phat-trien-cua-tinh/d20240719222816746.htm