Farmers harvest mandarins in Quang Thuận Commune, Bạch Thông District in the northern province of Bắc Kạn. The province’s average economic growth has increased significantly with agriculture-forestry production up 3.5 per cent per year. — VNA/VNS Photo Đức Hiếu

BẮC KẠN — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc said it is imperative that Bắc Kạn Province promote poverty reduction, especially in remote and ethnic monitory areas, and devote more attention to accelerating agricultural restructuring and the development of infrastructure.
The Government leader, speaking at a meeting held with key officials of the northern mountainous locality on Saturday, also suggested Bắc Kạn focus on improving the quality of human resources and expanding attraction of investment and official development assistance (ODA).
Bắc Kạn's average economic growth is around 6.8 per cent per year, with agriculture-forestry production up 3.5 per cent, industry-construction up 9.5 per cent and services up 7.9 per cent.
Its per capita income is forecast to reach VNĐ34.5 million this year.
The same day, PM Phúc attended a ceremony to mark the 70th anniversary of liberation of Bắc Kạn from French rule (August 24, 1949-2019).
Speaking at the event, PM Phúc highlighted the significance of the ceremony, saying it marked the 70-year historical journey of the struggle for national liberation, construction and development of the province, which has served as an important revolutionary base for Việt Nam in the past.
He praised the strong development and achievements recorded by the province and its integration efforts, describing these as important contributions to national construction and defence.
The PM asked local authorities to address difficulties facing the province in education-training, health care, human resources development, poverty reduction, towards creating impetus for further promoting Bắc Kạn development.
The locality should fully tap its potential and mobilise to effectively use resources, accelerate economic restructuring and enhance the application of science and technology in order to improve agricultural and forest productivity and quality, PM Phúc said.
Attention should be paid to expanding the development of the mining, processing and manufacturing industries, the handicraft sector and tourism and services, he added.
The leader also instructed the local authorities to focus on completing planning for transport infrastructure development and policies to attract investment, improving the business environment, promoting administrative reform, building e-government, preventing corruption and reducing wastefulness.
Earlier in the day, PM Phúc had a working session with the leadership of the northern mountainous province of Thái Nguyên.
The PM praised the locality's efforts to meet economic goals in recent years but urged more work to boost economic development.
He also lauded the management of local authorities in socio-economic development and security-defence.
Thái Nguyên has worked hard to mobilise domestic and foreign resources to promote its development, especially to reduce poverty in ethnic minority areas.
In recent years, the locality has focused on promoting industrial development and luring investment in this field.
It has targeted attracting at least 10 investment projects totalling around US$300 million to its industrial zones in 2019.
Combined sales in local industrial zones are projected to hit $28 billion and export turnover $26 billion. — VNS