Hau Giang on the Rise

10 years after the re-establishment, Hau Giang province has maintained an average annual growth rate of 12.39 percent (10.83 percent in 2004 and 12.31 percent in 2013). GDP per capita was VND27.3 million in 2013, 4.6 times that of 2004. Total investment capital in 10 years stood at VND65,275 billion, with average increase of 25.6 percent a year.

 

Alongside with economic development, cultural-social development has also attained significant progress creating 212,492 jobs in 10 years, on average increase of 3.9 percent a year. In 2013, poor households decreased to 11.73 percent against 24 percent in 2004; malnutrition of children under 5 years old reduced from 25 percent in 2004 to 14.8 percent; while medicare increased from 38 percent in 2004 to 60 percent in 2013.

 

Notably, socio-economic infrastructure has been developed with important projects such as administration centre, Vi Thanh – Can Tho road, 500-bed general hospital, sport-hall, Chuong Thien history museum.

In addition, national programme of rural development has been stepped up, increasing from the first standard commune in the Mekong Delta to three standard communes in late 2013 namely Dai Thanh, Vi Thanh and Tan Tien.

 

Urban development is also a priority for Hau Giang to create conditions for socio-economic development, foundation for national security and social welfare. Accordingly, the province has initiated a plan for urban development, investing and training urban managers, launching campaign “Green-Clean-Beautiful”, building green and modern urban areas. As a result, Hau Giang urban areas have undergone positive changes in planning and architecture, together with new roads and green parks.

 

Presently, Vi Thanh is the economic, political and cultural centre of Hau Giang province with technical infrastructure for socio-economic development. To upgrade Vi Thanh into City of Second Grade in 2017, the province will continue to attain more indexes, from 37/49 indexes in 2013 to 46/49 indexes in 2017, namely from 60.14 points to 77.5 points as required for City of Second Grade. The city will focus on socio-economic development – the driving force, encouraging investments in key projects particularly in social and technical infrastructure.

 

According to the plan, the area of aqua-production will increase from 7,610 hectares in 2015 to around 11,000 hectares in 2020 (4,553 hectares more than that of 2010). In 2015, fish-raising area will be 7,590 hectares (99.7 percent of the total area), shrimp-raising area will be 20 hectares (0.3 percent) and by 2020 they will be respectively 10,950 hectares (99.5 percent) and 50 hectares (0.5 percent).

To increase the processing and export of aqua-products, the province will assist businesses in expanding the production, continue preferential treatment for investments in processing and export, and encourage the application of high technology to increase the quality and output.

 

The province will also focus on the planning to ensure optimal production and quality, promote trade, expand markets, diversify products and increase compositeness. 

 

To ensure the success of administrative reform in socio-economic development, especially in attracting investments, Hau Giang People’s Committee has issued annual plans and guidance for administrative reform in the province. In particular, Hau Giang People’s Committee has issued Programme 04/CTr-UBND of 13 February 2012 on administrative reform in 2011-2020 in compliance of Resolution 30c/NQ-CP of 8 November 2011 of the government on administrative reform in 2011-2020; Directive 03/2013/CT-UBND of 6 May, 2013 on intensifying administrative reform in Hau Giang; Directive 09/2013/CT-UBND of 8 November 2013 on continued rectification of working style of Hau Giang officials. Those activities have recorded significant successes.

 

Since 2011, Hau Giang has issued in total 154 related documents to facilitate offices, organizations and individuals in their research and application. In addition to one-stop shops in 100 units (attaining 100 percent) and inter-related mechanism in 12 units, the province has developed human resources planning, training and upgrading officials in accordance with current policy. Regarding information on administrative formalities, the province applies quality control ISO 9001:2008 in 100 percent of offices.

 

Due to those efforts, in 2012, Hau Giang ranked 15^th among 63 cities and provinces in administrative reform indexes, and top rank in one-stop shop and inter-related mechanism (96.70 percent).

 

In furtherance of the success, the province will continue the administrative reform on socio-economic development, national defence and security, focusing on four programmes:

1.  Development of socio-economic infrastructure;

2. Promoting agriculture and rural economy alongside with the building of new rural areas;

3. Human resources development;

4. Administrative reform.