The Government has set to have 1,800 or 20 percent of total communesnationwide meeting all 19 criteria on new-style rural area building, upfrom an estimated 8.8 percent in this year.

The Government expects to raise the number of communes meeting 15-18 criteria to more than 1,500 or 17.33 percent in next year.

TheNational Target Programme on New Rural Development has recordedsignificant progress in 2014, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh said aconference to review the programme in Hanoi on December 18.

Hehailed localities for taking an active part in the drive with creativein mobilising financial resources and implementing policies inaccordance with the local real situation.

To realise the2015 target, ministries and sectors need focus on the improvement ofinfrastructure, environmental protection, education and health, whileensuring social order and safety, restructuring agriculture, andpreserving cultural values, he said.

The officialagreed on the 2016-2020 scheme of the Ministry of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment, which aim to have 50 percent of the nationwide communesfulfilling new-style rural criteria in 2020.

He also approved the honouring of businesses and entrepreneurs who make great contributions to modernising rural areas.

In 2014, as many as 785 communes are estimated to become new-stylerural areas. In addition, 1,285 communes are expected to meet 15-18 outof the 19 criteria for new rural development, and 2,836 others tosatisfy 10-14 criteria, according to the programme’s steering committee.

More than 157.8 trillion VND (8.5 billion USD) sourced fromthe State budget, the credit capital, and the community, was spent onimplementing the programme.

Building infrastructure, improvingproduction capacity, constructing public works, protecting the landscapeand environment, and promoting local traditions and cultural identitiesare among the criteria of building new-style rural areas agendainitiated by the Government in 2010.-VNA