Rural modernisation criteria should adapt to specific local conditions

Deputy Minister Nam reported the proposals during a meeting of the National Steering Committee for Rural Modernisation Programme on October 14 chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh.

The Deputy Minister said that many local authorities suggested modifying criteria for local community houses, markets and residential houses to reflect the natural conditions and lifestyles of each region.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy PM Ninh said that adjusting criteria to make them relevant to each commune was needed - without compromising standards and quality of rural works - so that the rural modernisation programme would truly benefit rural residents.

Ninh stressed that a number of criteria should be mandatory while some others can be flexible, adding that rural areas must not be urbanised with the pervasive use of concrete roads, asphalt roads and gated houses like in towns and cities.

He also hinted that based on demographic distribution, a market can be shared between many adjacent communes instead of each commune having its own market.

Under the rural modernisation programme, started in 2010, communes must meet 19 sets of criteria ranging from infrastructure and economic development to culture and education to be recognised as new rural areas.

As of September this year, 512 communes throughout Vietnam have fulfilled all the criteria.

(Source: Nhandan Online)