Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc delivers speech at a meeting with authority leaders and local people of Thái Bình Province yesterday. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc yesterday urged the northern province of Thái Bình to boost the application of scientific technology in agriculture and pay attention to social economic development ensuring environmental protection.

PM Phúc made his request at a meeting with authority leaders and local people of Thái Bình Province, once known as a granary of the Red River Delta and where a new-style rural development has been recognised as a key target for development.

He chose Bình Định Commune, Kiến Xương District as his first arrival to witness and study the current rural areas development programme.

The commune was among the first eight localities of the province to reach the standard and finished its new-style rural development after just three years of implementation.

As one of its successes, the commune mobilised a total of VNĐ74 billion (US$3.3 million) for rural infrastructure construction and after five years of implementation of new-style rural development, its local income per capita has now reached VNĐ31 million ($1,390) per year, an increase of VNĐ7.7 million ($314)compared to that of 2010.

Prime Minister Phúc praised Bình Định, saying that unity and consensus were among the key factors of the commune in agriculture and new-style rural development.

However, the Prime Minister pointed out that despite success, the commune’s target of ensuring good living conditions for only two thirds of the total population was proof that the commune should pay more concern to their development plan.

A report revealed the remaining one third of the population was still working in different areas but not in agriculture, such as in industrial zones outside the province.

Prime Minister Phúc recommended a boost in the application of scientific technology, a reform in agriculture production and a change in cultivation structure from one major crop into more supplementary crops.

Also yesterday, as part of his visit to Thái Bình Province, the PM visited a concrete factory in Kiến Xương District and inspected the Trà Lý dyke system in Vũ Đông Commune.

Earlier during his trip to Hà Nam on Saturday, the Government leader commended the northern province for recording one of the highest growth rates among localities in the Red River Delta and for effective investment attraction.
He said Hà Nam should optimise its geographical location as a gateway to the capital city to spur its development and pay more heed to local planning.
The PM reminded the province that sustainable development should be paired with environmental protection, suggesting Hà Nam increase its investments in tourism services to conserve the ecological system.
For their part, the provincial leaders proposed the Government and the PM create mechanisms to help universities and central-level hospitals in Hanoi relocate to or build branches in Hà Nam.
They asked the Government to support Hà Nam in attracting projects in processing, manufacturing and high-tech and create optimal conditions for the locality to access financial resources of the State budget, Government bonds and ODA loans.— VNS