Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính works with the Standing Board of the Lâm Đồng Province's Party Committee on Sunday. VNA/VNS Photo

LÂM ĐỒNG — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has asked the Central Highlands of Lâm Đồng to focus on implementing three breakthrough measures to boost its rapid and sustainable growth, including developing science and technology, innovation and startups, promoting the application of achievements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, especially in service and agriculture.

The Government leader had a working session with the Standing Board of the provincial Party Committee on Sunday.

PM Chính said that along with effectively implementing the three breakthroughs set by the 13th National Party Congress, Lâm Đồng should pay greater attention to promoting digital, green, circular, knowledge-based, sharing and night-time economy, as well as climate change response, developing cultural and entertainment industries.

Alongside, the province should build mechanisms and policies to mobilise all social resources for rapid and sustainable development, especially for expanding the infrastructure system serving transport, healthcare, education and culture promotion, he said.

The PM hailed the province's performance over the years.

Last year, Lâm Đồng completed 14 out of 18 socio-economic targets set for the year, with a GDP growth rate of 5.63 per cent and a GDP scale of VNĐ116 trillion (US$4.64 billion), ranking 45th among 63 localities in the country.

Its per capita GDP reached VNĐ86 million, the highest among regional localities. Lâm Đồng's State budget collection hit over VNĐ13 trillion in 2023 and nearly VNĐ7.9 trillion in the first seven months of this year. The rate of poverty according to multidimensional standards has been reduced to 3.16 per cent.

The province welcomed 8.65 million visitors in 2023 and 940,000 tourists in the first seven months of 2024. Lâm Đồng is a leading locality in high-tech agriculture.

PM Chính stressed that Lâm Đồng has an important strategic position in terms of economy, society, security, and defence. It is a centre for trade, a connecting point of the three regions of the Central Highlands, the Southeast, and the Central Coastal regions, bordering seven provinces and connecting with major domestic and international cities by air.

Lâm Đồng also owns many valuable cultural heritages of 47 ethnic groups, and abundant workforce.

However, he held that the province's growth had yet to match its great potential.

He asked Lâm Đồng to optimise resources in human, cultural values, history and tradition, taking the people as the centre of socio-economic development, while strengthening regional connections and forming supply chains.

The locality should continue improving its investment and business environment, mobilising all resources for development, restructuring its agricultural sector, boosting the forestry sector's growth, developing manufacturing-processing sector, and turning tourism into a spearhead economic sector, he underlined.

The PM reminded Lâm Đồng to focus on maintaining the cultural identity of local ethnic minority groups, ensuring security, order, environmental protection, and responding to climate change.

Chính also asked Lâm Đồng to pay greater attention to building the Party and the political system and combat corruption, and making good preparations for the organisation of the all-level Party congresses.

Earlier the same day, PM Chính witnessed organisations and businesses donating VNĐ41 billion to the programme to build and repair houses for the needy in Lâm Đồng.

PM Chính, who is also Chairman of the National Council for Emulation and Commendation, said that the council launched the movement of “the whole country joins hands to ensure no one has to live in temporary and downgraded houses” on April 13, 2024, with an aim to make sure that everyone enjoys stable houses by the end of 2025.

Lâm Đồng needs about VNĐ107 billion to build and repair houses for 1,970 poor households. — VNS