The meeting (Photo: SGGP)
Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Tran Duy Dong informed in the meeting that the Central Highlands have obtained significant results so far, such as a rise by 11 times in GRDP in 2022 compared to the one twenty years ago and the GRDP growth rate of nearly 8 percent a year in the 2002-2020 period, the fastest among all regions nationwide.
He then listed the weaknesses of the Central Highlands that need addressing. Firstly, the economic development scale here is not commensurate with its potentials and advantages: the lowest GRDP per capita among the 6 socio-economic zones; inability to balance the budget of all areas in the region, extremely low attraction of FDI, unsustainable poverty elimination, a large gap between poor and rich ethnic groups.
Secondly, the intra- and inter-connections here are rather loose due to outdated infrastructure in the strategic fields of traffic, education, healthcare, digital facilities. These cannot satisfy the demands of development.
A section of National Highway No.27 passing Lam Dong Province has been degraded for many years (Photo: SGGP)
Representatives from 5 provinces in the Central Highlands and relevant state agencies, ministries all agreed on the proposal for specialized mechanisms and policies to better mobilize resources for the growth of this region, especially in the aspects of transportation, stabilization for free migrants, irrigation systems and water security, reservoir safety, forestry development.
Welcoming all suggestions, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang then assigned related ministries and state agencies to devise necessary mechanisms and policies for the Central Highlands to address current issues. He particularly stressed a much-needed connection inside the region as well as to neighboring ones.
There must also be cooperation to promote both domestic and foreign investments in the region. The local agriculture must try its best to form inter-regional production chains. When the Central Government is still unable to help tackle certain problems, neighboring localities must support one another to solve them as much as possible.
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang is presenting his speech in the meeting (Photo: SGGP)
The Deputy Prime Minister mentioned the matter of providing sustainable livelihood for local residents. The land allocated to inhabitants here must be cultivable for a long time and synchronous with the existing infrastructure for agricultural production. The provincial and regional planning must take into account climate change.
Distinctive cultural features of the region must be maintained to ensure both the physical and spiritual life of local residents, especially ethnic minorities.
The Central Highlands Region Coordination Council, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang, was established under Decision No.827/QD-TTg, signed by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on July 11, 2023. The aim of the Council is to help the Prime Minister direct, coordinate, and resolve key interdisciplinary matters for interregional connections and a more sustainable growth of the Central Highlands.
By Doan Kien – Translated by Huong Vuong