Hano​i (VNA) – Nearly 100 lo♔calities and organisations were honoured for remarkable achievements in the rural modernisation drive at a ceremony in Hanoi on December 6 as part of the ninth National Patriotic Emulation Congress.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, head of the Central Council for Emulation and Rewards, presented the first class Labour Order to 13 centrally-run cities and provinces, namely Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Thai Nguyen, Nam Dinh, Quang Ninh, Ha Tinh, Binh Dinh, Lam Dong, Dong Nai, Hau Giang, Long An, Lao Cai and Lai Chau. These cities and provinces lead the country in the number of communes recognised as new-styled rural areas and the amount of capital resources mobilized for the drive. For example, Hanoi has 141 out of its 386 communes and Dan Phuong district recognised as new-style rural areas. Dan Phuong district, in particular, spent nearly 25 trillion VND (1.1 billion USD) in the field. Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City has three recognised districts - Cu Chi, Hoc Mon, and Nha Be - along with 54 out of its total 56 communes awarded the status. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung also granted the Government’s Emulation Flag to 10 new-style rural districts, namely Dan Phuong (Hanoi); Cu Chi, Hoc Mon, and Nha Be (Ho Chi Minh City); Hai Hau (Nam Dinh); Dong Trieu town (Quang Ninh); Xuan Loc and Long Khanh (Dong Nai); Don Duong (Lam Dong); and Nga Bay town (Hau Giang). Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan – First Vice Chair of the Central Council for Emulation and Rewards presented the first-class Labour Order to the Ministry of National Defence; the Ministry of Public Security; the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; the Ministry of Transport; the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Welfares; the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Mass Mobilisation; the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee; the Vietnam Farmer’s Union; the Nhan dan (People) newspaper; the Vietnam Television; the State Bank of Vietnam; the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group; the Vietnam Cement Industry Corporation; and the Electricity of Vietnam. The award was presented to honour their contributions to rural development. Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh – head of the national target programme on new-style rural construction presented the Government’s certificates of merit to 60 new-style rural communes. The national programme on building new-style rural areas, launched by the Government in 2010, includes 19 criteria on socio-economic development, politics, and defence, aiming to bring major changes to socio-economic life in rural regions. The criteria cover infrastructure development, production capacity improvement, environmental protection and cultural value promotion. As of November 2015, the country recognised 10 districts and 1,211 communes as new developed areas. By the end of this year, 1,500 communes nationwide are expected to receive the title.-VNA