Overcoming difficulties to build a model new countryside

Overcoming many stages of the journey, some communes in Quang Tri province have come close to successfully building a model new rural area. To achieve and multiply these encouraging results, localities need more attention and support.

Youth of Vinh Thuy commune, Vinh Linh district join hands to build a model new rural area - Photo: TL

Together to overcome difficulties

Up to now, building new rural areas has become the goal, motivation and regular work of cadres and people in many localities in the province. With outstanding efforts, many communes in the area have successfully built new rural areas and advanced new rural areas. Determining that building new rural areas is a non-stop journey, after reaping such encouraging results, some localities quickly entered the next stage. Currently, 5 communes including Cam Chinh, Cam Nghia, Cam Thanh (Cam Lo district) and Kim Thach, Vinh Thuy (Vinh Linh district) are "sprinting" to complete the goal of meeting the model new rural standards by the end of 2024.

Compared to before, today, Cam Chinh commune, Cam Lo district seems to have changed its appearance. Chairman of Cam Chinh People's Committee Nguyen Van Ha said that in 2016, the commune successfully built a new rural area. With many efforts, the commune reached the advanced new rural area goal in 2022. Currently, the entire political system and Cam Chinh people are mobilizing all resources to achieve the goal of "reaching the finish line" of the model new rural area. However, difficulties still lie ahead.

“Cam Chinh commune has 9 villages with about 1,450 people. Most of the people are farmers, mainly engaged in agricultural production, so building a model new-style rural commune in digital transformation is not easy. Without specialized training in information technology, local officials have to register for training courses or learn on their own to solve problems and support people. Currently, the commune is also making efforts to overcome difficulties in digital transformation infrastructure,” said Mr. Ha.

In Vinh Thuy commune, Vinh Linh district, the atmosphere of building a model new rural area is also bustling every day. According to Chairman of Vinh Thuy commune People's Committee Nguyen Quang Chien, in the past, when starting to build a model new rural area, the commune encountered many difficulties. Since the people deeply understood their role and position and promoted the collective spirit, the challenges have gradually receded. However, the barriers in building a model new rural area still remain.

Mr. Chien said: “From 2019 to 2022, we have mobilized and received more than 60 billion VND to build the new rural area. The commune has also mobilized people to donate land and contribute working days to build many projects. Over time, it is not easy to continue mobilizing human and material resources from the people.”

Similar to Vinh Thuy and Cam Chinh communes, building a model new rural area is the goal and motivation of many localities. However, according to records, this goal is difficult to achieve because the amount of work to be done is relatively large. Many new criteria, with high requirements, are considered difficult to implement for communes with low starting points. Resources for building a model new rural area are large, while mobilization faces many barriers.

In addition, almost every commune that builds a model new rural area faces its own difficulties such as: the results of building new rural areas vary between villages and hamlets; the relocation of livestock facilities causes loss of rural beauty; the construction of residential areas and model gardens is difficult to implement; crime and social evils easily arise... However, the difficulties do not discourage local officials and people, on the contrary, they multiply their determination and efforts.

Need help

In recent times, the National Target Program on New Rural Development has received close and timely attention and direction from the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council and People's Committee. Many mechanisms, policies and resolutions on resource allocation for new rural development have been issued. All levels and sectors in the province have promptly developed a set of criteria; reward policies; issued documents guiding the implementation and implementation...

Since 2018, implementing the central government's policy of building model new rural areas, the province has "taken the lead" in issuing a set of criteria for model new rural communes for the 2018-2020 period with 12 criteria and 25 indicators. This can be considered a step ahead in preparation, helping communes more easily access the national criteria for new rural and advanced new rural communes for the 2021-2025 period.

Not stopping there, the National Target Program for New Rural Area Construction received high participation and consensus from local authorities at all levels. Most of the commune officials raised the spirit of determination and made efforts to build a model New Rural Area. The construction of New Rural Area always received consensus and support from the people. With high awareness, many households volunteered to contribute money, land, working days... The spirit of the people multiplied when they saw the appearance of their homeland changing day by day.

According to the plan of the Provincial People's Committee on the implementation of the National Target Program on New Rural Construction in the period of 2021 - 2025, the goal is that by 2025, the province will have 8 communes meeting the model New Rural standards (accounting for nearly 8%). For a province with many difficulties like Quang Tri, the implementation of this goal is not favorable or easy. If the difficulties are not urgently resolved and all strength is mobilized, even the 5 communes expected to reach the advanced New Rural standard by the end of 2024 will find it difficult to achieve the set goal.

In fact, before reaching the model NTM standard, the commune must first reach the advanced NTM standard. To carry out these two continuous tasks, a huge amount of funding is needed and must be allocated equally. However, at present, due to the difficulties in people's lives, mobilizing resources becomes more and more difficult. Meanwhile, the conditions for building an advanced, model NTM commune mainly rely on local resources. The provincial support budget is very small.

In March 2022, the Prime Minister issued a decision to stipulate model new-style rural communes for the period 2021 - 2025. On that basis, the province issued a set of criteria for building model new-style rural areas to be applied in the area. However, the implementation in localities in the province is still confusing. It is noted that many criteria are still qualitative in nature, especially for the criteria of having a smart new-style rural model. This also makes the verification and appraisal work difficult.

Faced with this reality, it is extremely necessary to support communes to reach the finish line of building model new rural areas and create typical examples in the general movement. In particular, what needs to be done immediately is to issue a set of more specific and detailed criteria for smart new rural villages, model new rural communes, and model new rural districts nationwide. From here, communes will have the necessary foundation and more favorable conditions to build model new rural areas, creating momentum for long-term development.

Tay Long

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