Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính gives Tết gifts to people who have made great contributions to the nation in Ngọc Lặc District, Thanh Hóa Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

THANH HÓA — Amid the joyful atmosphere as the whole country prepares to welcome the Lunar New Year, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on Sunday visited and presented gifts to the people in Ngọc Lặc District in the central province of Thanh Hóa.

Reporting to the PM and his working delegation, Chairman of Thanh Hóa Province People's Committee Đỗ Minh Tuấn said that on the occasion of Tết, the province had synchronously and effectively taken good care of families and people who have served the nation, poor households and workers.

The province paid preferential allowances to more than 64,000 people with revolutionary contributions and relatives of people with great contribution to the nation, with over VNĐ420 billion (US$16.7 million).

It paid social allowances to more than 187,000 people of around VNĐ142 billion ($5.6 million).

The province also organised spring activities for more than 2,000 people being cared for, nurtured and managed at social assistance facilities.

To date, over VNĐ282 billion ($11.2 million) has been used to build and repair more than 4,200 houses for poor households, creating safe and happy home for the people during Tết.

On behalf of the Party and State leaders, PM Chính expressed his delight at the outstanding achievements that Thanh Hóa Province has achieved in recent times, especially last year, with double-digit economic growth, high budget revenue and guaranteed social security.

The PM said that as a province with mountains, plains and seas; with all means of transportation; with a large population, historical, cultural and revolutionary traditions, Thanh Hóa should promote its potential, strengths and advantages for development.

In particular, the province needs to improve the people’s material and spiritual lives, especially families with meritorious services, poor households, workers working on construction sites during Tết holiday, so that everyone has Tết, and no one is left behind.

Emphasising that this year has a special significance, with many important tasks such as continuing to reorganise the staff apparatus; promoting economic growth of 8 per cent, striving for double-digit growth in the coming time; completing socio-economic development targets for the 2021-25 period; organising Party congresses at all levels towards the 14th National Party Congress; and celebrating major national holidays, the PM requested Thanh Hóa Province to closely follow these duties.

He said the province should complete the tasks and join the whole country in entering a new era – an era of developing richly and powerfully, with people increasingly happy and prosperous.

PM Chính noted that Thanh Hóa Province must renew traditional growth drivers and promote new growth drivers.

It should expand and develop the Nghi Sơn economic zone and others in Sầm Sơn, Bỉm Sơn and Lam Sơn.

It also needs to focus on eliminating temporary and dilapidated houses by the end of this year, making sure there are none in the whole province and all people can "settle down and have a career".

The PM hopes and believes that Thanh Hóa Province will continue to unite, have high determination, make great efforts, take drastic actions and successfully complete the tasks this year with better results than last year, and truly be the growth engine of the whole country. — VNS