Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc meets with ethnic residents in Trọng Đức Distict, Central Highlands Lâm Đồng Province yesterday. — Photo nhandan.com.vn

LÂM ĐỒNG — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc yesterday presented Decision 1528/QĐ-TTg, that provides some specific mechanisms and policies for the development of Central Highlands Lâm Đồng Province, especially Đà Lạt city, to the provincial administration.

Under the PM’s decision, the province will be permitted to apply some special mechanisms and policies for developing various aspects of Đà Lạt city and its vicinity, such as real estate business, satellite cities, public transport, tourism sites, a biotechnology and hi-tech agriculture zone, and a concentrated IT zone.

Accordingly, the Lâm Đồng People’s Committee can allow property investors (except for those in ecological and leisure tourism projects) who have completed infrastructure construction, to transfer their projects to other investors for building housing or other structures approved by authorised agencies.

The Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee can ask the PM to decide on exempting the land rent for projects on building a national tourism site and a key tourism site in Đà Lạt.

Taxes on imported materials and equipment for building hi-tech greenhouses and net houses serving vegetable and flower production can also be exempted for five years if those materials and equipment cannot be sourced domestically. Lâm Đồng province is also permitted to build a “green village” on a trial basis in Đà Lạt city. The “green village” will include a hi-tech agricultural production area along with housing and public facilities. Agritourism will be developed there. The village will be designed to preserve biodiversity, natural landscapes and local culture while reducing greenhouse gas emission and using renewable energy.

At the decision announcement ceremony in Đà Lạt, PM Phúc said the decision aims to create optimal conditions for Lâm Đồng to capitalise on its natural potential, especially in tourism and agriculture. He told local authorities to prioritise tourism and hi-tech agriculture, adding that brands should be built for each hotel and tourism site, along with hi-tech farm products to boost exports.

While the province’s administration needs to overhaul its apparatus and business climate, businesses must comply with laws during their operations there to help Đà Lạt and Lâm Đồng grow.

Later the same day, the Government leader visited the Đà Lạt Ground Force Academy and some policy beneficiaries.

On Saturday, PM Phúc had a working session with provincial officials to assess local socio-economic development. In the context of the country’s deeper global integration, he urged the province to be more active in building and implementing socio-economic development measures.

He suggested that the province support business development and improve the business environment, striving to make Lâm Đồng one of the main business development centres in the country.

He instructed the province to continue speeding up the restructuring process and equitisation of State-owned businesses and handle social issues.  

On the occasion, the leader also visited ethnic minority people in N’Thôl Hạ Commune, Đức Trọng District.

Lâm Đồng has a population of nearly 1.3 million from 43 ethnic groups. It welcomed five million tourists in 2015. The province has posted an annual per capita GDP of VNĐ45.5 million (over US$2,000) during the last five years, almost equalling the national average. It expects the figure to be between VNĐ70 million–73 million ($3,100 – 3,200) in 2020 and low-income households reduced by 1.5 – 2 per cent annually. — VNS