ĐỒNG THÁP — National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân lauded the Mekong Delta province of Đồng Tháp for its efforts in agricultural and new rural development, during a working session with the provincial authorities yesterday.

She noted that Đồng Tháp has switched from rice farming to the cultivation of other crops and aquatic products, and launched smart agriculture models.

The NA Chairwoman also hailed the province’s administrative reform, saying that Đồng Tháp has jumped to third place out of 63 cities and provinces nationwide.

The top legislator suggested that orchards in Lai Vung and Cao Lãnh districts, Tháp Mười lotus ponds, Tân Thuận Đông tourism village and Sa Đéc flower village could be built into tourism attractions. She also took the occasion to ask the province to prepare for Party congresses at all levels towards the 13th National Party Congress, as well as the public investment plan for the next five years.

The locality was required to continue building value and production chains in agriculture, improve the added value of agricultural products, and pay more attention to the new-style rural building programme.

It must keep strengthening national defence-security, social safety and order, build a strong and transparent apparatus, and fight corruption and wastefulness.

Agreeing with the province’s suggestion on National Highway 30 construction, Ngân stressed the importance of the project which will connect several regional localities and Cambodia-bordering areas.

The same day, the leader presented scholarships and books to 50 poor children in Đồng Tháp and witnessed the granting of scholarships worth VNĐ355 million ($15,265) from the National Fund for Vietnamese Children to local students living in need.

She also paid floral tribute to Nguyễn Sinh Sắc, father of President Hồ Chí Minh, learned about activities of Tân Thuận and Tâm Quê club houses in Tân Thuận Tây Commune, Cao Lãnh City, and visited Mỹ Xương mango cooperative in Cao Lãnh District.

In the morning on the same day, she visited and presented gifts to a heroic Vietnamese mother in Nhị Mỹ Commune and the family of a war invalid in Cao Lãnh District. — VNS