Ca Mau (VNA) –Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh has asked the southernmostprovince of Ca Mau to fully tap its potential in aquaculture and expandmarine-based economy for sustainable economic development.

During a working session with theprovincial leaders on January 13, Binh suggested Ca Mau soon deploy Hon Khoaideepwater port project in Hon Khoai island, which is capable of handlingvessels weighing up to 250,000 tonnes, thereby helping to reduce transportationcosts and improve competitiveness of local exports.

Ca Mau needs to pay attention toreviewing its master plan on socio-economic development in combination withensuring national defence-security, as well as restructuring the economy andrenewing growth model, he said.

In order to lift up its rank in theprovincial competitiveness index (PCI), the province should improve theefficiency of administrative reform and business climate, the Deputy PM noted.

Binh suggested Ca Mau multiplyproduction models that are adaptive to climate change, step up agriculturalrestructuring in tandem with new rural development, develop industries to servehigh-tech agriculture and services of high added value, enhance regionalconnectivity for socio-economic development and national defence-security inthe province and the whole region.

The province needs to activelycope with disasters and landslide by building dykes and works in response toclimate change, deal with pollution “hotspots” and ensure social welfares for localpeople, he stressed.

Last year, the province’s grossregional domestic product (GRDP) was estimated at 37,847 billion VND (1.67billion USD), up 7 percent year on year. The State budget collection hit 4,183billion VND, or 101 percent of the estimate.

Exports rose 13 percent to 1.1billion USD while the rate of poor households was reduced to 5.9 percent and 29communes were recognised as new-style rural areas.

In the afternoon of the same day,Deputy PM Truong Hoa Binh visited and presented gifts to policy beneficiaryfamilies in the province.-VNA