A bird's eye view of Bát Tràng - a model new-style rural area commune of Gia Lâm District, Hà Nội. Thanks to actively implementing environmental criteria in the process of building new rural areas, many roads in Hanoi have become "bright - green - clean- beautiful". — Photos courtesy of the Coordination Office of the New-Style Rural Area Development Programme in Hà Nội

Recently, in the process of building new rural areas, a bright - green - clean - beautiful environment is one of the important criteria that Hanoi is focusing. Thanks to actively implementing this criterion, many roads in Hanoi have become "bright - green - clean - beautiful", which helps localities complete the criteria for building new, improved rural areas, new model village...

HÀ NỘI — During the mid-summer days, coming to Hong Van commune (Thuong Tin district), everyone is fascinated by the spacious roads and flowers blooming in all four seasons. Each route has a typical type of tree such as: Areca king, canary, poinciana, poinciana, yellow scallop... In the summer, the banyan tree and poinciana trees compete to bloom as if adding flavor to a countryside. Many families also plant gardens of flowers and bonsai to beautify the neighborhood and protect the environment.

Secretary of the Party Committee of Hong Van commune, Nguyen Hai Dang, said that to have such a space, members of the self-management group for environmental protection of craft villages in Hong Van commune "went to every alley, knocked on every house", reminding, encouraging people to actively build a green, clean and beautiful homeland through planting trees, cleaning village roads and alleys...

In recent years, all levels of government, agencies and residents of Hà Nội have actively participated in the implementation of the National Target Programme for New-Style Rural Area Development and achieved many positive results.

The rural areas of the capital have increasingly transformed towards civilisation and modernity, with the material and mental lives of the people seeing steady improvements.

According to the Coordination Office for New-Style Rural Area Development in Hà Nội, to date, the city has recognised 65 communes as meeting the standards for new-style rural areas. This achievement has contributed to the betterment of people's lives and the efforts to build rural areas that are increasingly civilised, modern and rich in cultural identity.

Nguyễn Văn Chí, permanent deputy head of the Coordination Office, said that Hà Nội has two out of 65 communes fully meeting the criteria for comprehensive new-style rural area across all eight fields: Yên Mỹ and Đại Áng communes in the outlying district of Thanh Trì. The remaining communes mostly meet the standards in two to four fields.

In Bát Tràng Commune (Gia Lâm District), which is famous both in the country and on an international scale for its traditional pottery craft, the maintenance of security and order has been identified as a key factor for promoting production, business and tourism.

Therefore, Bát Tràng has chosen to develop model new-style rural areas with a focus on tourism and security. On February 23, it was recognised by Hà Nội's authorities as meeting the standards for model new-style rural areas in 2023 in the fields of tourism and security.

Mural road in Duong Xa commune, Gia Lam district (Hanoi).

Phạm Huy Khôi, Chairman of the People's Committee of Bát Tràng Commune, affirmed that being recognised as a model new-style rural area will motivate the commune to do better in other fields and further improve ones already meeting the standards, such as tourism and security.

Regarding tourism, Bát Tràng Commune will collaborate with businesses to introduce more digital transformation solutions, aiming to make it a key tourist destination in the capital.

In 2023, Phùng Xá Commune (Mỹ Đức District) was also recognised by the city of Hà Nội for completing the construction of model new-style rural areas in education and training.

Mural road in Duong Xa commune, Gia Lam district (Hanoi).

Vũ Văn Chùy, Chairman of the commune's People's Committee, stated that all three schools in the commune (kindergarten, primary, and secondary) have met national standards, with the secondary school reaching level 2 national standards.

Phạm Đình Thành, a resident of Phùng Xá Commune, said that since the commune achieved the standards for model new-style rural areas, his family has noticed positive changes, especially in the enthusiasm of his children attending the newly refurbished secondary school, which is equipped with modern learning facilities.

Phùng Xá Commune's leader also mentioned that after achieving model new-style rural area standards in education and training, the commune has set a goal to develop Phùng Xá into an e-commerce commune by 2024.

With a highly developed weaving industry, the commune plans to leverage digital technology and e-commerce platforms to promote and sell its products.

The commune will invest in infrastructure, ensure stable and high-speed internet along with providing training for residents on packaging, logistics, online insurance and cashless payments.

With a highly developed weaving industry, Phùng Xá Commune, Mỹ Đức District (Hà Nội) will leverage digital technology and e-commerce platforms to promote and sell products.

Nhị Khê Commune (Thường Tín District) was recognised in 2023 for meeting the standards for model new-style rural areas in three fields, healthcare, culture and education and training.

Today, Nhị Khê has a system of schools and health stations that provide the best conditions for local residents.

The achievements of Nhị Khê have been widely supported by the local population.

Nguyễn Viết Hoan, the head of the Thượng Đình hamlet (Nhị Khê Commune), shared that the residents are very pleased with the progress seen in Nhị Khê, with many new roads, modern schools and a growing economy.

One of the keys to success in building new-style rural areas in Nhị Khê has been the unity and consensus among the people.

According to the People's Committee of Nhị Khê, since 2012, the local residents have contributed nearly VNĐ28 billion (US$1.1 million), accounting for more than eight per cent of the total resources mobilised for the National Target Programme for New-Style Rural Area Development.

Ngọ Văn Ngôn, Deputy Chief of the Coordination Office for New-Style Rural Area Development in Hà Nội, said that along with increasing the number of communes meeting the standards for model new rural areas to achieve the set goals, the city of Hà Nội consistently directs communes to improve the quality of fields already meeting the standards and to focus on those that are not yet meeting the standards, aiming towards comprehensive model new rural areas linked with smart rural development. — VNS

* The article is published under the coordination of the Coordination Office of the New-Style Rural Development Programme in Hà Nội.