Deputy Prime Minister Vương Đình Huệ has asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade to complete a report on plans to use VNĐ3.6 trillion (US$157 million) from the State budget for the socio-economic development of resettlement areas in four northern mountainous provinces.— Photo cafef.vn

HÀ NỘI — Deputy Prime Minister Vương Đình Huệ has asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade to complete a report on plans to use VNĐ3.6 trillion (US$157 million) from the State budget for the socio-economic development of resettlement areas in four northern mountainous provinces.

The money is part of the VNĐ19.1 trillion ($830 million) package allocated for the relocation and resettlement of local residents in Sơn La, Tuyên Quang, Hòa Bình and Điện Biên for the construction of Sơn La and Tuyên Quang hydropower plants.

Sơn La Province will be granted VNĐ1.1 trillion ($48 million). Tuyên Quang will receive VNĐ938 billion ($40.7 million) whereas VNĐ426 billion ($18.5 million) and VNĐ1.136 trillion ($49.4 million) will be allocated for Điện Biên and Hòa Bình provinces respectively.

At a meeting with the Deputy PM on Monday, local authorities of the four provinces highlighted the urgent need for funds to compensate the locals and develop the resettlement areas to ensure high quality of life for local residents from ethnic minority groups.

Using State budget resources mobilised for compensating residents to relocate is in accordance with regulations on the Law on Enterprises, the Law on the State budget’s management and use at enterprises and other related legal documents, they said.

Authorities of Sơn La Province plan to use the budget to upgrade the road connecting Highway No 37 and Highway 279D.

Other provinces will use the budget to implement resettlement and socio-economic stabilisation plans approved by the Prime Minister.

Deputy PM Huệ asked the Ministry of Planning, Investment and Finance to propose the Government allocate an additional funding package if the provinces are in need of more investment.

Sơn La Hydropower Plant is one of the key national projects to supply electricity for socio-economic development, industrialisation and modernisation. It went into operation in 2012 and has also played a significant role in preventing floods during the rainy season and providing water in the dry season for the country’s northwest region. 

Fifteen years since work on the project started, a total of 20,340 households from provinces including Sơn La and Điện Biên have been relocated to free up land for the plant’s construction

The Tuyên Quang Hydropower Plant with the capacity of 342MW, under construction in Vĩnh Yên and Na Hang townships in Na Hang District, Tuyên Quang Province, has total investment of over VNĐ7.5 trillion ($326 million). It was put into operation in 2007. — VNS