The Yên Sở new rural commune in Hoài Đức District.

HÀ NỘI — Since achieving the new rural standards in 2017, Hoài Đức District in Hà Nội has continued to implement the dual goal of building an advanced new rural area, associated with completing the criteria for becoming an urban district.

In parallel with realising the two goals, Hoài Đức District’s appearance has changed significantly, its countryside now having the face of a civilised and modern urban area.

For nearly 15 consecutive years, Yên Sở has been a key commune in the construction of new rural areas and advanced new rural areas in Hoài Đức District. To date, Yên Sở today has witnessed many changes.

A kindergarten in Yên Sở Commune.

The traffic system has been invested in and expanded, the main roads are paved.

Medical stations, cultural houses, flower gardens and parks have been built to better meet the people’s needs for health care and improve their spiritual life.

Chairman of the Yên Sở Commune People's Committee, Nguyễn Bá Trường Yên, said that after identifying education and training as one of the key criteria, the commune has focused on investing in the school system.

Up to now, schools in the commune have met national standards level one, while the Yên Sở Kindergarten has met the standard of level two, with spacious and modern facilities, meeting the requirements of educational innovation in the current period.

Preserving traditional culture in Cao Hạ Village, Đức Giang Commune.

Previously, on both sides of the lagoon in Lại Yên Commune, households encroached, discharging domestic wastewater and the water was polluted with construction waste.

Following the new rural construction, the commune proposed the district renovate the Lại Yên Lagoon with a total investment of VNĐ40 billion (US$1.5 million).

The project has embankments, newly built roads, a separate system of domestic wastewater collection ditches, a new lighting system and planted green trees around the lagoon to create a bright - green - clean - beautiful landscape.

Since then, the renovation, care of trees and environmental sanitation in the area around the lagoon have become a favourite hobby of people in the commune.

Nguyễn Đình Bảo, a local resident, said: "The lagoon has been improved, allowing us to enjoy a much higher quality of life than before. We are all happy and volunteer to take care of the landscape around the lagoon."

Hoài Đức builds new rural areas with the goal of developing into an urban district.

Hoài Đức District has a Tả Đáy dike running through nine communes.

To beautify the countryside, the district has built and maintained a 19.3km model dike with blooming flowers with the enthusiastic participation of many forces such as the Women's Union, the Youth Union and local students.

Notably, the budget for building the 'flower dikes' was funded with contributions from the people of more than VNĐ3 billion ($118,150) to improve the land and invest in seedlings.

After the dike had a new appearance, households living along the dike were very excited, voluntarily taking care of and watering the plants every day.

Every week, Women Union members organise weeding and general cleaning, spreading awareness of protecting and sprucing up the environmental landscape for the people.

Deputy Chairman of the Hoài Đức District People's Committee, Nguyễn Trung Thuận, said that since being recognised as a new rural district, the appearance of villages had continued to be improved, the people’s material and spiritual life has been enriched and they are excited and proud when their hometown becomes a livable countryside.

Up to now, Hoài Đức has met the conditions and completed the dossier to be considered and recognised by the Central Government as meeting the advanced new rural standards.

Deputy Chief of the New Rural Development Programme Coordination Office of Hà Nội, Nguyễn Văn Chí, said that building advanced new rural areas was implemented synchronously and effectively by Hoài Đức District with many criteria met and exceeded the set targets.

The results achieved in building new rural areas are considered the lever for Hoài Đức to develop urban areas and become an urban district in the near future.

According to the capital’s general construction planning, Hoài Đức District is divided into three main areas including area outside the Đáy River dike, area from the Đáy River dike to Ring Road 4 and the area east of Ring Road 4.

Determining that investment and upgrading of urban traffic infrastructure plays a particularly important role, creating momentum for the socio-economic development process, the district has invested thousands of billions of đồng to renovate and upgrade rural traffic routes.

In 19 communes of the district, a total of 774.51km of commune, inter-commune, village, inter-village, alley and main roads have been concreted and asphalted, meeting the traffic criteria requirements.

The district is carrying out a project to build a new Hoài Đức District General Hospital which will have 500 beds.

Nguyễn Văn Chí, Deputy Chief of the New Rural Development Programme Coordination Office of Hà Nội (first left), visits the model of converting ineffective crops to growing fruit trees with high income in Yên Sở Commune.

Hoài Đức is a district with rapid urban, industrial and handicraft development.

The whole district has 52 housing, service and trade development projects underway.

The district also has more than 4,000 enterprises, 53 out of 54 villages with crafts, of which 12 traditional craft villages have been recognised, nine industrial zones and many high-quality agricultural production models, contributing to economic restructuring, building new rural areas, bringing revenue to the budget, creating many jobs for people.

So far, Hoài Đức District has achieved 27 out of 31 urban district criteria and one hundred per cent of communes have met ward criteria in terms of infrastructure.

New rural areas have been creating a driving force to help Hoài Đức District soon develop into an urban district. — VNS

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