Visiting Ben Tre today, one can realize fully the changes underway in a province still shroud with difficulties. Vice Chairman Cao Van Trong of Ben Tre People’s Committee said:” Due the joint efforts of the leadership and people, Ben Tre has made stable progress in socio-economic development, moving from agricultural province to industrialisation-modernisation”. Kim Bang - Minh Tuan report.
What are the achievements recorded by the province after over three years implementing the Resolution of IX Ben Tre Party Convention (2010-1015)?
In economy, economic growth rate attained 7.43 percent. Economic restructuring continued in right direction. Agricultural production ratio reduced from 45.3 percent in 2010 to 44.2 percent, while industry-construction increased from 18.4 percent to 20.2 percent and service from 35.3 percent to 35.6 percent. GDP per capita stood at VND28,479,000 a year with significant improvement in living conditions, both physical and spiritual. Improvements in administrative reform, management and working style increased people’s credibility and stimulus in development.
In agriculture, transition continued in species of plants and animal husbandry for higher quality. Efficiency in garden economy and fisheries helped develop services and rural crafts. Production value in agriculture, forestry and fisheries increased on average of 7.9 percent a year.
Big progress has been made in industrial production with average growth of 23.21 percent a year, double that of 2006-2010 period. So far, projects have fully occupied two existing industrial parks and an industrial complex. The province is increasing investments for Phase II infrastructure of Giao Long IP and Phong Nam and An Duc industrial complexes to attract more domestic and foreign investors.
Regarding import-export activities, intermediary and indirect export markets have been decreased while direct and new markets increased. Export value augmented on average of 23.7 percent a year. Domestic trade continued to develop, meeting the demand of production and consumption.
Important progesses have also been made in culture, education, health, science and technology, contributing to the development in both urban and rural areas. Social welfare has been improved with practical works in poverty reduction, bringing down poor household percentage to 9 percent. Trained workforce has been increased to 46 percent. 53,000 jobs have been created bringing down unemployment to 3.48 percent.
With advantages in workforce, raw materials, transportation, investment preferentials and appropriate orientation for socio-economic development, how do the province exploit such comparative edge?
In recent past, with assistance of concerned ministries and agencies and joint efforts of local authorities and people, Ben Tre has developed in correct direction and appropriate economic orientation, contributing to sustainable economic development.
In communication and transport, many projects have been built (Rach Mieu, Co Chien, Ham Luong, Van, Cho Lach bridges and connecting roads) upgrading provincial communication network, forming the Eastern corridor of the Mekong delta, ending the geographical isolation, facilitating the province to join in the development of the Southern key economic region, especially Ho Chi Minh City economic and financial centre.
In vocational training, Ben Tre has 17 centres training each year some 9,000 workers of three levels for agricultural and non-agricultural sectors. The province has made good use of budget for national development programme as well as training project 1956/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister, assisting rural workers in expertise and stable jobs.
On investment preferential and assistance, the province has issued regulation of related offices to accept and process investments in favour of projects outside national budget. The regulation has been applied at Ben Tre Investment Promotion Agency (IPA Ben Tre). IPA Ben Tre is also the co-ordinator of related offices to review and evaluate the efficiency of investment policy in the province and update new policies of the central government for effective implementation.
It is believed that in order to make impressive progresses, Ben Tre should make the most of its advantages. What do you think and what are the advantages?
To ensure advanced and sustainable economy, the province will focus on industrial development, especially processing industry to accelerate economic growth and restructuring.
Processing industry is most essential for industrial development of Ben Tre. The agriculture, fisheries and food processing accounted for 54 percent of industrial production value. The province has focused on a plan of developing this industry until 2020. As a result, with encouragement in investment and assistance, it maintained an annual growth rate of 23.11 percent in three years (2011-2013). No doubt, it is a good sign for Ben Tre economic development in the years to come.
In addition, to ensure stable supply of raw materials for processing industries, Ben Tre has started a programme developing coconut trees until 2020 in the province to secure higher productivity, output and income of farmers as well as stable supply of raw materials for local processing industries. It will also promote supply-demand linkage and effective value chains, developing sustainable coconut processing and food processing in general.
To embark the upper-level of development in the region as planned by IX Ben Tre Party Convention, how does the province implement the 10 main tasks and what are they?
To attain the upper-level of development in the region, Resolution of IX Ben Tre Party Convention mapped out 10 main tasks including: promoting industry-handicraft as a driving force in economic growth and restructuring; developing all-round and diversified agriculture in the direction of cash-crop - large scale, modern, sustainable and environment friendly, combing agricultural development with improving conditions of farmers and rural areas; developing service sector especially tourism, trade and others of high added value; mobilizing investments for infrastructure in favour socio-economic development and social welfare; improving conditions for the development of all economic sectors; developing education-health sector, increasing efficiency in science-technology, environment protection, and efforts against climate change; maintaining national security and social stability; enhancing people-centre works at all levels, improving the performances of People’s Councils and Committees, upgrading the capacity of leadership.
Vietnamese
