Quang Tri asked to tackle poverty

HA NOI — The Chairman of the National Assembly, Nguyen Phu Trong, has urged the central province of Quang Tri to take full advantage of its positive economic development to overcome poverty.

Trong, who is also Politburo member of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committe was visiting the province for two days, told provincial leaders that since 1991, Quang Tri’s per capita income had risen well above the average national income.

And, he said, the rate of poor households had been reduced from 24.4 per cent in 2000 to 14.9 per cent at present.

Trong, who applauded the achievements of the poor and war-ravaged locality, asked authorities to further capitalise on the province’s advantages and adopt forward thinking to make strong inroads into poverty.

He asked Quang Tri to modernise and industrialise its agricultural production, making sure that all economic sectors benefited.

The NA chairman told the province to heed the rights of labourers and narrow the gap between rich and poor as development progressed.

Provincial leaders said that agriculture accounted for 30 per cent of the province’s total GDP and provided jobs for 55.8 per cent of its population.

They added that Quang Tri would keep up with modern trends, especially in rural areas, to increase incomes and living standards.

According a report on Quang Tri’s development, change and renewal in the State-owned economic sector had improved their business effectiveness.

The report praised the equitisation of State enterprises, saying this had created new motivation for business and made staff more involved.

However, it also warned that there should be a strict supervision so that equitisation did not to become "privatisation", especially in trade and service sectors.

The Chairman was told the non-state economic sector increased to 83 per cent of the total provincial economic structure in 2008 from 65.5 per cent in 2005.

However, provincial leaders said the region’s market economy had not developed evenly, that some State management officials would not change their minds, slowing down administrative reform. — VNS