(VOVworld) – 30% of Tra Vinh province’s population are Khmer people who mainly reside in rural areas. After 4 years implementing the national new rural development program, 13 out of Tra Vinh’s 85 communes have been recognized as new-style rural areas. This is attributed to the local government’s determination and wise implementation of the program plus the local people’s consensus. VOV’s Sa Oanh reports…..

81% of residents in Ngoc Bien commune, Tra Cu district, are Khmer farmers who depend mainly on farm work. The local government has succeeded in persuading local residents to donate land and labour for the construction of welfare works. 519 households in Ngoc Bien donated 25,000 USD to build 8 bridges and 145.000 square metres to make public roads and irrigation systems. Kim Ray, a local resident, contributed his own land to make public roads: "It’s more convenient for us to travel on paved roads. It’s much easier and quicker for us to travel from our homes to anywhere else in town, or to transport our crops and harvests."

Hieu Tu commune in Tieu Can district has had its infrastructure significantly upgraded after 4 years implementing the national new rural development program. This is thanks to local people’s donation of land and labour to the program’s implementation. Son On, a resident of O Trom hamlet, contributed 300 square meters of land to make roads. Son On said the program’s initial success is due to the local people’s acknowledgment of the program’s importance in improving local living conditions. He said: "After having the program’s significance explained, I was eager to contribute land to make roads for O Trom hamlet. I understand that this will contribute to boosting local development and improving locals’ living standards, including that of my family."

As a member of O Trom pagoda’s management board, Son On has encouraged many Buddhist followers to get involved in the program’s implementation. Dozens of households have contributed 5000 square meters of land and 2000 USD to pave the inter-hamlet roads. Le Van Hieu is Chairman of Hieu Tu communal People’s Committee: "The local people have responded enthusiastically to the national new rural development program since it was launched 3 years ago. The local infrastructure has been upgraded significantly and we now have only two more hamlet roads that need to be paved."

Tra Vinh has set a target of completing the criteria for another 7 communes to fulfil the national new rural development program by the year’s end.