President Tran Dai Quang has urged authorities of the Mekong Delta province of An Giang to focus on improving the quality of infrastructure planning for socio-economic and urban development, and effectively mobilising and using resources to promote its rapid and sustainable economic development.

President Tran Dai Quang speaks at the working session. (Source: VNA)

During a working session with provincial leaders on August 19, President Quang asked the province to pay more attention to training human resources, speeding up administrative reform, improving the investment environment and enhancing scientific and technological application in agriculture and processing industry.

He also asked for An Giang to invest more in developing infrastructure of industrial parks and transport infrastructure, form regional connectivity and accelerate the building of new-style rural areas.

The State leader stressed the need for An Giang to reform its agricultural growth model, change the structure of agricultural production, promote the development of hi-tech agriculture, and devise policies to encourage enterprises to invest in the field of farm produce preserving and processing, towards creating high-value agricultural products.

It is also necessary to pay heed to preventing and overcoming landslides, minimising impacts caused by saline intrusion and water shortage and controlling diseases in cattle and poultry, he noted.

President Quang requested An Giang to effectively implement a the Politburo’s Resolution on developing tourism into a spearhead economic sector by calling for investment in infrastructure development for tourism, and efforts to promote the province’s tourism potential and landscapes, thus attracting both investors and tourists.

He emphasised that An Giang must focus on building strong and comprehensive armed forces; well implementing the coordination mechanism among forces in safeguarding national sovereignty, border security and security in the fields of ethnicity and religion; as well as enhancing the efficiency of foreign affairs with localities of neighbouring countries, thus helping to build a boundary of peace and friendship.

The President also requested An Giang authorities to strengthen the Party building; promote the campaign of studying and following the thought, morality and lifestyle of President Ho Chi Minh; build a transparent and professional public administration; and foster administrative reform to make it easy for investors’ production and business activities.

With nearly 100 km of border lines shared with Kandal and Takeo provinces of Cambodia, An Giang has a strategic position in terms of defense-security in the southwestern border region and it is also one of the four provinces lying in the Mekong Delta region’s key economic zone.

In 2017, An Giang’s GRDP growth reached 5.11 per cent with GRDP per capita hitting over VND 34.3 million per year. The province’s budget revenue posted a year-on-year increase of 13 per cent and its export turnover reached USD 820 million.

In the first half of 2018, the GRDP growth stood at 6.1 per cent, higher than the same period of many previous years; and its investment attraction also recorded positive results.

So far, 33 out of 119 communes in An Giang have met criteria of the National Target Programme on New Rural Development, and the rate of poor household reduced to only 5.24 per cent.

Along with efforts for promoting economic and infrastructure development, the local authorities also pay attention to implementing many social welfare policies, thus battering the living conditions of the locals./.

VNF/VNA