The new rural appearance of Thường Tín District in Hà Nội.

HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội is currently the leading locality in the country in building new rural areas and advanced new rural areas.

Hanoi Party Committee (term 17) has issued Program No 04-CTr/TU on promoting the effective implementation of the National Target Program "Building new rural areas associated with restructuring the Agriculture sector and development of rural economy, improving the material and spiritual lives of farmers in the period 2021 - 2025". The program has oriented the exploitation and highlighting of the capital's unique characteristics of agricultural and rural tourism.

To create a premise for the development of rural agricultural tourism in the Capital, Hanoi has focused on building a new look for the countryside, helping villages in the suburbs of Hanoi to be full of new vitality and culture, modernity. 

If people had the opportunity to visit Thường Tín District on the days when Hà Nội celebrated the 70th anniversary of capital city’s Liberation (October 10, 1954 - October 10, 2024), they would have seen the countryside bedecked with beautiful flags, banners and slogans.

In Hoà Bình Commune, all villages have cultural houses.

In Thuỵ Ứng Village alone, all of four hamlets have spacious cultural houses and 100 per cent of the villages have public entertainment areas, outdoor sports and exercise equipment to serve the people.

As for Nguyễn Trãi Commune, thanks to the good industrial development, all of the labourers in the commune have jobs and stable incomes.

Promoting local strengths, Hong Van commune (Thuong Tin district, Hanoi) has shifted from pure agricultural production to agricultural development associated with craft village eco-tourism.

Nguyễn Tuấn Chỉnh, Secretary of Vĩnh Mộ Village Party Committee in Nguyễn Trãi Commune, said that the new rural area has helped the locality change dramatically.

The infrastructure is complete and local people promote trade, services and small-scale industry development.

Specifically the Quất Động Industrial Cluster in the commune is creating jobs for hundreds of workers.

The commune also has three traditional embroidery villages including Xóm Bến, Gia Khánh and Đình Tổ, thanks to which many older workers can also earn money, so no one in in those areas is unemployed.

Also in these October days, joy came to Mai Đình Commune in Sóc Sơn District when the Party Committee, authorities and people in the commune received the title of a commune meeting advanced new rural standards.

Chairwoman of the Mai Đình Commune People's Committee, Nguyễn Thị Thanh Huyền, said that in less than one year, the commune had been recognised by the city twice as meeting advanced new rural standards.

The first time was on February 23, the second was on August 12 this year.

At present, the average income of the commune reaches nearly VNĐ76 million (US$2,900) per person, per year.

Health care and education quality is a focus and social security is guaranteed.

Inter-commune rural roads in Thường Tín District.

Returning to the region that suffered many losses in the resistance war, the former communes of Khu Cháy Safe Zone such as Đồng Tân, Trung Tú, Trầm Lộng and Đông Lỗ in Ứng Hoà District have changed dramatically and are full of vitality.

The village roads that were once muddy and narrow are now spacious, clean and shaded by green trees.

Khu Cháy today has become a key rice-growing area with a high-quality rice value chain and the brand name 'Khu Cháy Quality Rice'.

The new rural construction campaign has truly spread widely to every citizen and village.

Many localities have practical and effective models and methods such as Sóc Sơn, Đan Phượng, Ba Vì and Ứng Hoà districts.

Primary and junior secondary schools in Phú Xuyên Town, Phú Xuyên District.

Every year, localities organise a contest 'Keeping villages and residential groups bright, green, clean, beautiful and safe', which has received positive responses from the people.

Chairman of the Sóc Sơn District People's Committee, Phạm Văn Minh, said that as of September this year, 11 communes in the district reached the advanced new rural area standard.

The district strives to reach the new rural area construction target one year ahead of schedule, according to the Resolution of the 12th District Party Congress for the 2020-2025 term.

In Ứng Hoà District, Nguyễn Chí Viễn, Standing Deputy Secretary of the district Party Committee informed that the district has 28 out of 28 communes meeting new rural standards, of which nine meet the advanced new rural standards.

From a poor agricultural area, Ứng Hoà District is developing strongly along with the capital and the country.

The tourist route 'Nam Thăng Long – Hà Nội Heritage Road' and the destination 'Quảng Phú Cầu Incense Stick Craft Village' attract a large number of tourists, promoting local culture and products.

Deputy Chief of the Standing Office of the Hà Nội New Rural Development Programme, Nguyễn Văn Chí, said that after more than 10 years of implementing the National Target Programme on New Rural Development, thanks to close direction of the municipal Party Committee, People's Committee, and Party committees at all levels, local authorities and the people’s participation, the suburban areas of Hà Nội are growing positively.

From 2021 to now, Hà Nội has called for VNĐ83 trillion ($3.2 billion) to invest in rural areas.

Thanks to that, Hà Nội's rural areas have had synchronous and modern infrastructure, in harmony with urban development.

Director of the Hà Nội Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nguyễn Xuân Đại, said that as of July this year, all 382 out of 382 communes in the capital city met the new rural standards, 188 communes have met the advanced new rural standards (exceeding the set target).

Currently, four districts including Gia Lâm, Đông Anh, Thanh Trì and Hoài Đức have completed the advanced new rural district dossier and have applied to competent authorities for consideration and recognition.

In addition, Thanh Oai, Thường Tín and Đan Phượng districts are completing the advanced new rural district dossier.

It can be seen that the suburban areas of Hà Nội are developing day by day towards civilisation, modernity and a new rich identity.

The green, clean and beautiful countryside has been and is contributing significantly to beautifying the capital city to develop worthy of its thousand years of civilisation. — VNS

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