Cities and provinces in Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta should invest in traffic, irrigation and health when building new rural areas, said Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung at a meeting yesterday. Addressing the meeting, which reviewed half-yearly implementation, Hung praised the region for achievements it had made over the first six months of the year, specifically in agriculture, aquaculture, industry and attracting foreign investment.

The meeting convened leaders of 13 cities and provinces in the region.

Hung told participants at the meeting that it was essential to build infrastructure facilities, traffic roads and irrigation network to gradually develop high-tech agriculture production in the region.

He urged relevant ministries and agencies to pay proper attention to education and training, especially in mountainous and remote areas where the number of school drop-outs remains high and the quality of vocational training low.

Turning to health, Hung emphasised that in addition to speeding up fund disbursement to build and upgrade infrastructure facilities and purchase medical equipment at village clinics, it was also necessary to provide primary health care.

Participants were told that despite persisting difficulties, socio-economic development in Cuu Long delta had improved over the first half of the year.

Trade and services had increased moderately. The value of industrial production increased by 16 per cent compared with the same period last year. Ca Mau, Dong Thap and Can Tho provinces had all experienced fair economic growth.

Agriculture had also progressed well. Over 1.5 million hectares of Winter-Spring rice crop yielded 10.3 million tonnes of rice, representing an increase of nearly 420,000 tonnes compared with the same period last year.

Export turnover for the region was US$2.66 billion, an increase of 10.6 per cent against the same period last year. Notably, the region accounted for 10 per cent of the national export turnover, mainly due to rice and seafood products. —VNS