Story of capital for new rural construction after commune merger in Hai Duong

Together we are strong.

On December 1, 28 new communes, wards and towns of Hai Duong province officially came into operation. "Combination is stronger", mergers will certainly create new positions and forces for the socio-economic development picture in localities and the same goes for the field of new rural construction.

These days, the construction site to expand the central road section of Nhat Quang commune (Gia Loc) is taking place very urgently. The starting point of this road section connects with National Highway 38B, the end point is in the territory of Nhat Tan commune (old). The construction unit is building the foundation and embankment of the road to soon spread asphalt. After completion, the road surface will be 7 m wide, with drainage ditches on both sides, meeting the criteria for building an advanced new rural area. The total construction value of this road section is more than 20 billion VND, invested by the provincial and district budgets.

Loc Tien Consulting and Construction Company Limited is the contractor for the above road section. Mr. Nguyen Xuan Tuan, Director of the company, excitedly informed: "The project started on September 11, and is scheduled to be completed by March 2025. However, this is one of the important projects with great significance for the goal of building an advanced new rural area, orienting the model new rural area of ​​Nhat Quang commune, so we are working day and night, striving to complete it 40 days ahead of schedule."

In addition to transportation, Nhat Quang commune (merged from Nhat Tan and Dong Quang communes) only needs to have a production area recognized as meeting VietGAP standards to basically complete the criteria for advanced new rural areas. This commune currently has a greenhouse production area of ​​about 12 hectares in Vinh Due village, waiting to be assessed in the next few days.

Chairman of Nhat Quang Commune People's Committee La Van Chien said: "Before the merger, Dong Quang commune did not have a hygienic swimming pond, did not have a wide enough commune road... while Nhat Tan commune fully met these criteria. Now that the merger is over, there is no need to worry anymore because Nhat Tan commune has shouldered the unmet criteria for Dong Quang commune. Nhat Quang will soon return to being an advanced new rural commune because the remaining criteria are being focused on reviewing and perfecting according to the guidelines for the 2023-2025 period."

The case of Cam Viet commune (Thanh Ha) is similar. Before the merger, Viet Hong commune (old) still had many contents in the construction of advanced new rural areas that had not been achieved, such as no swimming pool, no smart village and no electronic trading floor...

After the merger, compared with the new regulations for the period 2023-2025, this locality still has 3 incomplete contents related to the establishment of an electronic trading floor, building smart villages and increasing the rate of solid waste classification at source.

Chairman of the Commune People's Committee Nguyen Hai Nam said that the locality is actively coordinating with specialized agencies to complete the procedures to recognize Cam Viet guava as a 3-star OCOP product. After that, the listing of this OCOP product on the e-commerce platform will be carried out immediately.

Currently, Cam Viet commune has installed free wifi in the cultural houses of 4 villages, and is deploying the installation of a surveillance camera system in Ky Tay village to ensure the requirements of a smart village. "We also aim to complete the classification of waste at the source before December 10. The remaining contents are not difficult and Cam Viet will strive to become an advanced new rural commune in the near future," Mr. Nam confidently said.

The "difficult problem" of capital

However, besides the joy, the leaders of the new communes also have difficult "problems" that they must join forces to find solutions to soon.

Dan An Commune (Tu Ky) was formed by merging Dan Chu and Quang Nghiep communes. Before the merger, Quang Nghiep commune (old) had met the advanced new rural standards, while Dan Chu commune (old) was a new rural commune.

After the merger, Dan An commune is facing difficulties in investment resources to complete infrastructure to reach advanced new rural standards. According to the plan in the coming time, this locality will continue to renovate and build drainage ditches on both sides of the 500m long commune road in Dan Chu commune (old), build a 2.5ha central stadium, a multi-purpose building for the primary school, move 54 electric poles located in the traffic corridor of some routes... These are all big jobs, expected to cost tens of billions of VND.

Meanwhile, to build new rural areas, Quang Nghiep commune (old) still owes about 30 billion VND in basic construction investment, Dan Chu commune (old) owes more than 5 billion VND. The old debt has not been paid, Dan An commune now has to worry about finding resources to complete the above projects, so this will be a "problem" that is not easy to solve.

Tran Phu Commune (Nam Sach) was newly formed after the merger of Nam Trung and Nam Chinh communes. This locality is likely to achieve the advanced new rural standards in the near future when many difficult criteria have been "shouldered" by Nam Trung (old) commune. However, according to local leaders, improving the quality of the criteria to achieve the model new rural standards in the next phase is the difficult task.

Currently, all three kindergartens, primary schools and secondary schools of Nam Chinh commune (old) have not yet met level 2 standards. There are many projects in all three educational institutions that need to be completed but there are no investment resources. In 2023-2024, Nam Sach district supported the construction of a 2-storey, 10-room classroom building for Nam Chinh Primary School. However, there is still a lack of funding to complete some auxiliary projects.

Quang Duc Commune (Gia Loc) was merged from Quang Minh and Duc Xuong communes. Quang Duc strives to be recognized as meeting advanced new rural standards by 2025. This locality only needs to complete the traffic criteria to achieve the goal.

The Duc Xuong commune main road (old) from National Highway 38B to An Cu 1 village has been completed for about 1 km, 7.5 m wide, with drainage ditches on both sides. From November 16, this road continued to be constructed for the next 1 km with a total investment of more than 14.7 billion VND from the local budget and other legal sources. However, the Quang Duc commune main road still has 1.5 km left to be completed with a total estimated cost of about 21 billion VND.

Reveal the answer?

Gia Loc is one of the first four districts in Hai Duong province striving to reach the advanced new rural area goal by 2024. Comrade Dang Xuan Thuong, Secretary of Gia Loc District Party Committee, said that reviewing, evaluating, and supporting newly merged communes to urgently complete the criteria for advanced and exemplary new rural areas is one of the priority tasks. "This year, Gia Loc exceeded the plan assigned by the province in collecting land use fees. The district will study and balance revenue sources to consider supporting newly merged communes to complete the criteria that require large financial resources to serve the construction of new rural areas," Comrade Dang Xuan Thuong affirmed.

The representative of the Nam Sach District Party Committee also said that the district will pay attention to supporting localities, including newly merged communes, to complete and improve the quality of advanced new rural criteria. Prioritizing resources to invest in transport infrastructure, schools, serving socio-economic development... and aiming to be recognized as an advanced new rural district next year.

Many localities are also considering reviewing, calculating, and planning to include projects related to new rural construction in the medium-term public investment target for the 2026-2030 period.

Besides the concern of the province and district, many localities have proactively calculated their own solutions.

Chairman of the People's Committee of Dan An Commune (Tu Ky) Pham Son Tung said that the locality will soon auction 26 land lots in Dong Mac area (phase 2) to create investment resources to complete infrastructure.

Similarly, in the coming time, Quang Duc commune (Gia Loc) will propose to the superiors to organize auctions for 2 new residential projects in Tho Xuong village, 2 hectares wide, and in Minh Tan village, 4 hectares wide. These two projects have about 180 land lots, worth up to nearly 300 billion VND. This is an abundant resource for the commune to complete the remaining commune axis and build other projects requiring large funds.

Of course, land auctions do not always go smoothly and even if all of these plots are sold, it may not be enough for localities to cover the projects in the plan that need investment in the coming time. However, this is also an expected internal resource to solve the "thirst" for capital in new rural construction of localities today.