Ha Nam: Unleashing Resources, Creating Breakthrough Momentums

With the sheer determination and drastic participation of the whole political system and the close coordination of authorities of all levels, Ha Nam province is carrying out consistent tasks and solutions to speed up administrative reform, improve the business investment environment and enhance competitiveness to unleash resources and create breakthrough momentums for the following years. Mr. Truong Quoc Huy, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, grants an exclusive interview to Vietnam Business Forum, on this matter.

In 2022, Ha Nam province achieved much progress in direction and administration as well as remarkable economic development. Could you please briefly tell us about these results?

In 2022, as many advantages and challenges came together, with the close attention and direction of the Provincial Party Committee, the effective supervision of the Provincial People's Council, the drastic administration of the Provincial People's Committee and the ongoing effort of all-tier authorities, sectors, people and businesses, Ha Nam province achieved and exceeded 16 out of 17 targets and plans. The gross regional domestic product (GRDP) reached VND46,065 billion, up 10.82% year on year, ranked third in the Red River Delta and 12th in the country. The GRDP per capita rose 14.2% to VND87.0 million. The State budget revenue was VND13,860 billion, equal to 95.6% of the amount made in 2021 and 112.8% of the target assigned by the Central Government. Total social investment capital expanded 10.6% to VND39,508 billion.

Remarkably, the province followed Resolution No. 11-NQ/TU dated September 15, 2021 of the Provincial Party Committee on industrial development, with focus on high-tech, supporting, processing and manufacturing industries and services, to realize sustainable industrialization and modernization goals in 2021-2025, with a vision to 2030. Ha Nam also concentrated on removing difficulties against businesses and continued to effectively realize 10 commitments to investors. Hence, the industrial value expanded 14.5% year on year to VND176,274 billion.

Trade and service activities regained growth momentums, with total retail revenue of consumer goods and services rising 30.5% to VND40,963 billion. Import and export value reached US$10.21 billion, including US$5.55 billion of exports, up 13.4%. The tourism sector attracted 3.1 million visitors, 23.0% more than a year earlier (3,011,400 domestic visitors and 142,100 international visitors), and achieved revenue of US$2,152 billion, 31.0% higher than a year ago and 21.0% higher than the plan.

Agricultural production stably grew 2% to VND8,434 billion. The New Rural Development Program continued to be implemented strongly and effectively. By the end of 2022, the province had 6-8 communes out of 13 communes meet advanced new rural development criteria.

Would you mind telling goals and tasks of economic growth and development of Ha Nam province in 2023?

In 2023, after assessing opportunities and challenges, the province set 16 main targets, including GRDP value of VND50,764.4 billion (up 10.2% year on year), budget revenue of VND13,454 billion (2.4%), and urbanization rate of 38.5% (0.4% higher). The province will have at least 31 communes that meet new advanced rural development standards.

To accomplish all targets, the Provincial People's Committee will focus on carrying out 12 groups of key tasks and solutions. In the near term, it is necessary to develop a plan to announce and carry out the Ha Nam Plan in 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, after the Prime Minister ratified it. Besides, the province will effectively mobilize and utilize investment resources and improve the effect of medium-term public investment plans in 2021-2025. In 2023, Ha Nam will accelerate the progress of site clearance, construction and investment of key traffic, commerce, tourism and urbanization projects.

Ha Nam will also focus on effectively implementing the Urban Development Program, exaggerate the management of the real estate market; apply mechanisms and policies to support effective agricultural production models, and raise incomes and living standards for people. The locality will foster the large-scaled development of high-tech agriculture, organic agriculture and green agriculture and align agricultural processing with sustainable value chains; diversify commercial and service activities; foster public administration reform and digital transformation; boost the quality and responsibility of public employees in performing their official duties.

Given very heavy tasks set for 2023, with the resolve and effort of the Party, the government and the people, we believe that Ha Nam will fulfill all targets and create momentums for the 2021-2025 period.

How seriously has the province conducted public administration reform, improved the business investment environment and enhanced competitiveness?

Having better public administration reform, business environment, competitiveness and sustainability is one of key cross-cutting tasks of all levels and branches of authority and localities in the province.

In 2016, the Provincial People's Committee launched the Action Program for Ha Nam Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) Improvement for the 2016-2020 period (according to Decision No. 1823/QD-UBND dated November 15, 2016) and directed all levels and branches of government to integrate this action plan with their annual socioeconomic plans. With continuous efforts, the province achieved much progress in reforming public administration and improving the local investment and business environment. Ha Nam kept a close watch on lawmaking and enforcement; streamlined administrative procedures and business conditions; and gradually upgraded the e-government and digital government. In particular, many PCI subindices were ranked high in the country.

In the 2020-2025 term, the Provincial Party Committee will continue to see the work of improving the investment and business environment and enhancing competitiveness as one of breakthrough development actions. The committee issued Resolution No. 17/NQ-TU dated September 15, 2021 on accelerating administrative reform, with a focus on modernizing the administrative system, building a digital government, reforming administrative procedures, and improving the quality of public administration and the responsibility of public employees, especially agency leaders, and strengthening administrative disciplines in the 2021 - 2025 period. The Provincial People's Committee also launched an action plan to upgrade the business investment environment and raise the PCI in the 2021-2025 period, with the goal of lifting its PCI will to Top 20 in the country by 2025.

To accomplish this goal, the Provincial People's Committee directed relevant agencies and localities to concretize tasks and solutions for the whole period and for each year; review and improve the quality of civil servants working at the Provincial Public Administration Service Center; speed up digital transformation; enhance the quality of government-business dialogues; accelerate site clearance; strictly perform corporate inspection no more than once a year; and pay attention to ensuring security and order in industrial zones.

How will approved Ha Nam Plan for the 2021 - 2030 period, with a vision to 2050, open up local potential, advantages and opportunities to attract investment fund?

The provincial planning for the 2021 - 2030 period, with a vision to 2050, is being completed by Ha Nam province and scheduled to be submitted to the Government for approval in 2023. The plan states that Ha Nam will maximally and optimally exploit its potential, advantages and resources for rapid, comprehensive and sustainable development; become a center of environmentally friendly, high-tech industry with high socioeconomic performance; and become a center of trade, service, tourism, logistics and high-quality human resources training of the Red River Delta and the country. Accordingly, the GRDP growth will reach at least 10.4% a year in 2021 - 2025, 12.0% in 2026 - 2030, and in 11.2% in 2021 - 2030. The GRDP per capita will climb to VND117 million in 2025. The total investment capital will jump to VND269 trillion in 2021 - 2025 and VND574 trillion in 2026 - 2030.

The province will focus on five pillars: Supporting, processing and manufacturing industry; high technology; natural and humanistic tourism resources; urbanization development to drive up industrial, commercial and service development; and organic and smart agriculture.

Ha Nam will organize three economic spaces: Central urban, high-quality service, high-tech industry and personnel training region (Phu Ly City, Duy Tien Town and Thanh Liem District) designed to be a high-density development region; Urban, ecological and industrial region (west of Day River, Kim Bang District and Thanh Liem District) designed to harmoniously develop urban, industrial and agricultural areas in combination with ecotourism and spiritual tourism; and agricultural, industrial and high-tech region (Ly Nhan, Binh Luc and Thanh Liem districts) intended to keep agricultural and rural land and landscape, form an urban and industrial development area in Bac Ly Nhan and along national highways 21A and 21B in Binh Luc District.

After the planning is approved, it will unlock numerous new potential and competitive advantages. Therefore, the province hopes to see investors actively survey, research and establish cooperation to make the most of all local resources for their own development and the local development.

Thank you very much!

By Ngo Khuyen, Vietnam Business Forum