Decision No. 17/2009/QD-TTg Approves the Overall Plan for Socio-Economic Development of Tien Giang Province until 2020

Pursuant to …;

Approving the Master Plan for Socio-Economic Development

 of Tien Giang Province until 2020

PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government dated December 25, 2001;

Pursuant to Decree No. 92/2006/NĐ-CP dated September 7, 2006 and Decree No. 04/2008/NĐ-CP dated January 11, 2008 of the Government on the preparation, approval, and management of master plans for socio-economic development;

Considering the proposal of the People's Committee of Tien Giang Province at Report No. 112 dated September 3, 2008 regarding the Master Plan for Socio-Economic Development of Tien Giang Province until 2020,

 DECIDES:

Article 1. Approves the Master Plan for Socio-Economic Development of Tien Giang Province until 2020 with the following main contents:

I. DEVELOPMENT VIEWS

1. The Master Plan for Socio-Economic Development of Tien Giang Province until 2020 shall ensure consistency with the national socio-economic development strategy and the overall socio-economic development plan of the Mekong Delta region.

2. Accelerate economic growth, transform the economic structure towards industrialization and modernization; intensify the application of science and technology in production and services, develop strongly those industries and services with advantages, combined with developing fields with high technological content.

3. Mobilize all resources for socio-economic development, expand and enhance the effectiveness of foreign economic relations, attract maximum resources from outside, especially capital, technology, and highly skilled technical labor, consistently implement long-term preferential policies and incentives for investment, expand export markets, and increase the competitiveness of goods and services.

4. Develop the economy rapidly and sustainably, meeting the requirements of international economic integration; ensure harmonious resolution between socio-economic development and environmental protection, improve and gradually raise the living standards of the people.

5. Focus on improving the quality of human resources, emphasizing the role of human factors, enhancing educational and training capabilities and the level of public awareness, combined with developing science and technology... viewing this as one of the decisive factors for industrialization and modernization.

6. Develop the economy in conjunction with political stability, ensuring social order, raising public awareness; strengthen national defense and security; consolidate, improve, and enhance the quality of activities of the political system, build a strong administrative foundation.

II. DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES

1. General Objective: Develop the economy at a high and sustainable rate, accelerate investment in infrastructure construction, increase the competitiveness of local products and services, strive to form an industrial-service-agricultural economic structure by 2015; by 2020, build Tien Giang into a province with developed socio-economy, contributing positively to the development of the Mekong Delta region and the whole country; improve and raise the living standards of the people, protect the ecological environment; ensure national defense and security.

2. Specific Objectives:

a) Economic Goals:

- Average annual economic growth rate (GDP) of 12.5% during the period 2006-2020, with an average of 12%-13% annually during the period 2006-2010.

- Per capita GDP in 2010 reaches $1,025-$1,080 (actual prices), reaching approximately $4,050 per person by 2020.

- Shift the economic structure towards increasing the share of non-agricultural sectors. By 2010, the share of industry-construction reaches 33%-34%, trade-services reaches 32%-33%, and the share of agriculture-forestry-fishery decreases to 33-35% in GDP; by 2020, the share of industry-construction reaches 48.5%, trade-services reaches 36.5%, and agriculture-forestry-fishery reaches 15.0%.

- Expand and enhance the effectiveness of foreign economic relations. Create favorable conditions for the goal of rapidly increasing exports and attracting capital and technology from abroad. Strive for export turnover to reach over $400 million in 2010 and over $1.8 billion in 2020; average annual export turnover growth rate of 17% during the period 2006-2010 and 16.2% during the period 2011-2020; average export value per capita exceeding $900 in 2020.

- Strive for an average annual rate of technological innovation of 20-25%.

- Annual total social investment capital mobilization exceeds 40% of GDP.

b) Social Goals:

- Average population growth rate during the period 2006-2020 below 1.0% per year, reduce the average annual birth rate by 0.03%. Strive to stabilize and gradually reduce urban unemployment to below 4% from 2010 and increase rural labor utilization time to about 85% in 2010 and above 90% in 2020. Create appropriate mechanisms and policies to enhance the attraction of capital, develop various forms of investment, create new jobs to attract more than 20 thousand workers (2006-2010) and more than 40 thousand workers (2011-2020) annually. Increase the proportion of trained labor to 40% in 2010 and about 51% in 2020. Strive to reduce the poverty rate (according to new criteria) to around 10% in 2010 and below 6% in 2020;

- Strive to achieve by 2010, the ratio of students to the corresponding age group in each education level: nursery school over 15%; kindergarten over 70%; primary school 100%; lower secondary school 99%; upper secondary school 62%; no illiterates. By 2020, the ratio of students to the corresponding age group: nursery school 50%, kindergarten 99%, primary school 100%, lower secondary school over 99%, upper secondary school over 75%;

- By 2010: 99.5% of households have electricity; 100% communes have roads to the commune center and 85% are paved with asphalt or concrete. By 2020, 100% of households have electricity and 100% of roads to the commune center are paved with asphalt or concrete;

- Urbanization rate reaches 26% in 2010 and over 37% in 2020;

- Implement comprehensive measures to limit and significantly reduce HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases. By 2010, 100% of commune health stations have doctors, achieving 6 doctors per 10,000 people and about 8 doctors per 10,000 people in 2020; increase the number of hospital beds per 10,000 people to 26 beds (2010) and 29 beds (2020); reduce the malnutrition rate under 5 years old to below 17% (2010) and 10% (2020). Improve the quality of cultural, sports, radio, and television activities throughout the province.

- Ensuring solid national security, political stability, and social order and safety in all situations.

c) Environmental objectives:

- Increasing forest and perennial tree coverage to 40 - 41.5% by 2020.

- By 2010: 100% of new construction production facilities will have clean technology or be equipped with pollution reduction and waste treatment systems meeting environmental standards; 40% of urban areas and residential zones, and 70% of industrial zones and clusters will have centralized wastewater treatment systems meeting environmental standards; collecting and treating 80 - 90% of solid waste; collecting 100% and treating over 60% of hazardous waste, and 100% of medical waste; 70% of households will have sanitary latrines and animal pens. Over 88% of rural households and over 95% of urban households will have access to safe drinking water.

- By 2020: 100% of new construction production facilities will have clean technology; 70% of urban areas and 100% of industrial zones and high-tech parks will have centralized wastewater treatment systems meeting environmental standards; over 95% of solid waste will be collected and treated to meet environmental standards; treating over 80% of hazardous waste; 70% of cities will have separate sewage systems meeting standards. Over 95% of rural residents will have access to clean water for daily use, and over 80% of households will have sanitary latrines and animal pens.

III. DIRECTIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRIES AND SECTORS

1. Development of agriculture, forestry, and aquaculture:

Promoting comprehensive agricultural and rural development towards commercial production. Developing production while protecting the ecological environment to ensure sustainable agricultural development.

Accelerating the process of industrialization and modernization of agriculture and rural areas through intensive farming, specialized cultivation, application of biotechnology, and switching to high-yield and quality crop and livestock varieties to meet market demands and increase income per unit area.

Reorganizing the agricultural production system in conjunction with consumption and product processing systems; focusing on strengthening collective economic organizations, particularly in garden economy, aquaculture, and building brand names for characteristic products of the Province (such as Vinh Kim Lychee, Go Cong Raisin, Cat Hoa Loc Mango, Cai Be Sweet Orange, Pomelo, Dragon Fruit from Cho Gao, Green Pomelo, Pineapple...) to enhance competitiveness in the market.

Stably investing about 60,000 hectares of rice cultivation to ensure food security and exports. Forming specialized areas suitable for the potential and comparative advantages of the Province such as fruit trees, fresh vegetables... supplying the Southern Key Economic Zone. Promoting livestock farming towards industrialization to increase productivity, product quality, and protect the environment.

Developing forestry towards encircling and protecting coastal mangrove forests, original Tram Forest in Tan Phuoc, combining scattered tree planting along roads, canals, and household land with developing long-term fruit orchards with high economic, ecological, and environmental value, contributing to increasing the province's vegetation coverage to 40 - 41.5%.

Developing aquaculture through planning aquaculture regions, intensifying production to increase yield, diversifying cultivated species, closely integrating breeding, preservation, processing, and environmental management, focusing on developing aquaculture products with domestic consumption and export value such as fish, shrimp, clams, floating fish cages, oysters, crabs... in the Mekong River, river islands, and coastal tidal flats. Reducing nearshore fishing to protect resources, increasing offshore fishing through reorganizing production, enhancing capacity, and modernizing distant-water fishing fleets.

Upgrading and constructing new seed production centers within the province linked to regional seed production centers in the Southern Key Economic Zone and the Mekong Delta. Building anchorage and typhoon shelters for fishing vessels; upgrading and constructing new fishing port clusters and wholesale markets for aquatic products, promoting fishery support services.

Continuing investment and completion of flood drainage channels north of National Highway 1, the Go Cong Freshwater Project, upgrading Go Cong sea dykes, canal market dyke systems, and fruit orchard flood control systems linked to provincial and Mekong Delta flood control systems.

Strengthening investment support for economic and social infrastructure in rural areas, closely linked to programs for building community clusters and housing in flooded areas of the Mekong Delta, contributing to stabilizing residents' lives and promoting economic and social development in the agricultural and rural sector.

Striving for an average annual growth rate of over 4.0% in the total added value of the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sector during the 2006-2020 period; in which, the agriculture and forestry sectors will grow at an average of 4.3% annually from 2006 to 2010, and the fisheries sector will grow at 6.0% annually; by 2020, livestock will account for more than 32% of the added value of the agricultural sector, and fisheries will account for more than 21% of the added value of the agricultural, forestry, and fisheries sector.

2. Development of industry and small-scale handicrafts:

Creating a favorable investment environment, continuing to attract investment to develop industries towards diversified products, high-tech industries, while focusing on sectors and fields where the Province has advantages in potential and geographical location such as processing industry, biotechnology, mechanical manufacturing serving agriculture and rural areas, shipbuilding industry, and supporting industries for the Southern Key Economic Zone and the Mekong Delta.

Vigorously developing medium and small-sized industries using advanced technology, encouraging investment in the development of small-scale handicrafts and traditional craft villages to create jobs and effectively utilize raw materials and labor in the agricultural and rural areas.

Concentrating investment to rapidly develop approved industrial zones and clusters, while consolidating and improving the efficiency of existing industrial zones and clusters on the territory. By 2020, the entire Province will have from 7 to 8 concentrated industrial zones and approximately 30 local industrial clusters built with a total land area of about 8,758 hectares.

Investment in building industrial zones and factories must be accompanied by the construction of waste treatment facilities and green planting to ensure a clean, beautiful environment for these industrial zones.

Strive to achieve the goal of increasing the value of industrial production during the period from 2006 to 2010 by an average of over 27% per year, solving employment for about 130 thousand workers. During the period from 2011 to 2020, the value of industrial production will increase by an average of over 18% per year, solving employment for more than 320 thousand workers. Create a strong shift in economic structure towards industry.

3. Develop trade and services:

Develop the domestic market, expand trade with Ho Chi Minh City, provinces in the Southern Key Economic Region, and the Mekong Delta region, closely linked with developing a trading network with the participation of all economic sectors. Reorganize the retail network, prioritize the development of modern retail systems, plan advantageous commercial locations in urban areas to build and develop commercial and service areas in My Tho city, Go Cong town, Cai Lay, Cai Be; form residential-commercial-service-scientific and technological-medical-educational-financial-banking and holiday areas in the Northern Go Cong, Southeast Tan Phuoc, Trung Luong (My Tho) regions... consolidate and develop existing wholesale markets for agricultural and aquatic products on the provincial territory, creating a link between the Southern Key Economic Region and the Mekong Delta region.

Focus on promoting trade, expanding foreign markets, and creating favorable conditions for the rapid development of production and export of key goods, export products from industrial zones, and processed products from rice, seafood, fruits...

Develop eco-tourism and island tourism models, implement domestic and international tourism cooperation, diversify types and products of tourism. Attract investment in building comprehensive entertainment areas, resorts, and tourist sites such as islands on the Tiền River, flood-prone areas and rural areas of Đồng Tháp Mười, prioritizing investment to transform Thới Sơn Island into a community eco-tourism cluster in the lower Mekong sub-region, Tân Thành beach, fruit gardens, cultural and historical relics...

Develop high-value-added service industries that promote other production and service sectors such as transportation, telecommunications, information technology, scientific and technological services, consulting, finance, banking, insurance, training, healthcare, culture, sports.

Strive to reach a share of the service sector's added value of approximately 32.0% in GDP by 2010 and 36.5% by 2020, with an average annual growth rate of 13.8% during the period from 2006 to 2010 and around 13.6% during the period from 2011 to 2020. Total export turnover from 2006 to 2010 exceeds 1.47 billion USD, with an average annual growth rate of 17%. During the period from 2011 to 2020, total export turnover will reach approximately 9 to 10 billion USD, reaching over 1.8 billion USD in 2020, with an average annual growth rate of export turnover value of 16.2%. In 2020, attract about 2 million tourists, including over 1 million international tourists.

4. Cultural and social fields:

Focus on implementing national programs on population and family planning, education and training, employment, poverty reduction... continuously improving the quality of life for the people in terms of food, clothing, housing, transportation, education, medical care, and cultural enjoyment. Strive to reduce the average annual birth rate by 0.03%; by 2010, the population will reach about 1,785 thousand people and by 2020, it will be 1,967 thousand people.

Create a strong shift in the labor structure from agriculture to industry and services, with the expected proportion of agricultural labor remaining at about 28% of the total workforce in 2020. Increase the proportion of trained labor to 40% in 2010 and 51% in 2020; reduce the poverty rate (according to new standards) to about 10% in 2010 and below 6% in 2020. Properly address policies for those who have made contributions. 

a) Education and training:

Pay attention to human resource development both in quantity and quality. Education must be comprehensive from preschool, primary school, secondary school, and high school. Continue to invest in solidifying schools and teaching equipment according to standardization. Prioritize the development of preschool education in remote and mountainous areas. Strive to reach by 2010, the enrollment ratio of students compared to the population in each educational level as follows: nursery over 15%; kindergarten over 70%; primary school 100%; junior high school 99% and senior high school 62%. By 2020, the enrollment ratio of students compared to age, nursery 50%, kindergarten 99%, primary school 100%, junior high school over 99%, senior high school over 75%.

Develop a reasonable system of vocational and higher education institutions based on the planning of universities, colleges, and vocational schools within the province. Focus on completing the College of Health Sciences, the University of Tay Nguyen, building a new College of Economics and Technology, and investing in upgrading and developing the provincial vocational training system... equipped with modern technical facilities and a qualified faculty, improving the quality and effectiveness of training. At the same time, implement the principle of socializing training work, encouraging all economic sectors, including international cooperation, to participate in investing in infrastructure and training to develop human resources, especially highly skilled labor, meeting the needs of socio-economic development and industrial zones in the locality and the region.

b) Healthcare and health care for the people:

Develop and complete the healthcare network from the provincial level down to the grassroots level, fully implementing state health programs and policies. Continuously improve the quality of community health services, effectively addressing initial health care issues for the people. Consolidate and develop the preventive healthcare system.

Enhance investment to develop the healthcare sector comprehensively in terms of infrastructure, equipment, and human resources. Gradually modernize diagnostic and treatment equipment at provincial and district hospitals to meet national and international standards. Invest in building central general hospitals in provinces into regional-level hospitals; simultaneously construct new specialized hospitals and district-level hospitals according to the development plan. Promote socialization in healthcare. Encourage investment in some non-public hospitals and specialized medical diagnostic centers to meet the increasingly high demands of the people in the province and region.

Strive to reduce the rate of malnutrition among children under five years old to below 10% by 2020; ensure a ratio of eight doctors per ten thousand people; maintain 100% health stations with doctors; achieve twenty-nine hospital beds per ten thousand people; vaccinate ninety-nine percent of infants under one year old with six types of vaccines.

c) Culture, information, physical education and sports:

Strengthen and develop libraries at all levels from urban to rural areas. Improve the quality of radio and television programs. Develop and consolidate activities for the preservation of museums to preserve, restore, and promote cultural heritage values, historical sites, and national identity. Focus on investing in infrastructure for cultural and information sectors, physical education and sports, and other social fields, especially basic works according to the planning system of cultural information facilities and basic works of physical education and sports at all levels. Promote socialization in cultural and physical education and sports fields.

Target by 2010: Ninety-five percent of households reach the standard of cultural families; one hundred percent communes and wards have cultural points and reading rooms; one hundred percent of households have means to listen to the radio and watch television; eighty to ninety percent of schools regularly conduct in-class physical education and sports training; eighteen percent of the population participate in regular physical exercise and sports; sixty to eighty percent of communes have football fields.

d) Science and technology:

Strengthen research and application of science and technology in all economic and social activities towards industrialization and modernization, closely linked with training and developing high-level scientific and technical forces.

5. Technical Infrastructure:

The province actively coordinates with central ministries and agencies to accelerate the progress of investment and construction of the expressway connecting Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong - Can Tho, National Highway 60, and National Highway 50 including the construction of My Loy Bridge (replacing the ferry) and Cho Gao Bridge; support the synchronous upgrade of the inter-provincial road of Tien Giang (DT 865) - Long An (Huong Road 28) - Dong Thap (DT 847). Study and implement the construction of the railway line connecting Ho Chi Minh City - My Tho - Can Tho at an appropriate time.

Upgrade the channel of the small river Tien and the Saigon River mouth to facilitate large vessels, combined with the renovation, upgrading, and construction of new ports on the rivers, including My Tho Port and the shipbuilding complex at the Saigon River mouth; upgrade the economic and transportation channel of Cho Gao Canal and Thap Muoi Canal No. 2 (Nguyen Van Tiep Canal).

Renovate and upgrade the bridge and road system within the province, prioritizing roads leading to industrial zones, branch roads connecting to national highways, and expressways. Strive to achieve one hundred percent hard-surfaced roads by 2010; one hundred percent communes have roads to their centers and eighty-five percent of roads are paved with asphalt, gravel, or concrete. Complete cargo berths and boat docks for districts, deepen and upgrade My Tho Port to become a regional port capable of handling over 500,000 tons annually and ensuring that ships with a capacity of 3,000 to 5,000 DWT can dock.

Upgrade and develop the postal, telecommunications, and information technology systems; power systems; water supply and drainage systems, particularly the clean water supply system for four eastern districts and wastewater treatment systems for cities and industrial zones.

By 2010, the telephone density reaches thirty-eight units per one hundred people, of which fixed-line and postpaid mobile phones reach fifteen units per one hundred people, and by 2020 it reaches approximately seventy-two units per one hundred people, of which fixed-line and postpaid mobile phones reach thirty-eight units per one hundred people.

Strive to achieve one hundred percent household electricity usage throughout the province by 2015, of which ninety percent purchase electricity directly from the power company; average commercial electricity consumption per capita reaches 1,266 kWh per person.

6. National Defense - Security, Social Order and Safety:

- Improve the quality and quantity of standing troops to meet the requirements of regularity and modernization. Strengthen management measures and build reserve forces, develop civilian defense and self-defense forces suitable for common tasks and specific defensive regions. Pay special attention to building maritime self-defense forces;

- Build a competent and skilled People's Public Security force politically strong, capable of countering peaceful evolution. Build a solid grassroots force, promote the mass self-management movement of high quality, ensuring readiness for any situation. Continue to combat all types of crime, restore order and discipline in economic, cultural, and social fields. Continuously educate and encourage the people to implement well the policies and guidelines of the Party and State;

- Strengthen the integration of economic and social development with national defense and security consolidation in each industry and field from the planning stage of economic regions and technical infrastructure projects... to enhance the ability to proactively respond to any situation.

7. Environmental Protection:

Economic growth must be combined with social development and environmental protection, ensuring sustainable development, limiting the degree of pollution increase, addressing degradation issues, and improving environmental quality; fundamentally resolving environmental degradation in industrial zones, densely populated urban areas in major cities, and some rural regions; remediating and treating pollution in rivers, lakes, ponds, canals, and ditches. Enhancing the ability to prevent and mitigate adverse impacts of natural disasters and unfavorable climate changes on the environment; effectively responding and remedying environmental pollution incidents caused by natural disasters. Rationally exploiting and utilizing natural resources, maintaining high ecological balance, conserving nature, and preserving biodiversity. Proactively implementing and meeting environmental requirements in international economic integration, minimizing negative impacts of globalization on the domestic environment to promote economic growth, improve people's living standards, and ensure sustainable national development. Building a robust environmental management system and promoting socialization in environmental protection efforts.

IV. DIRECTION FOR DEVELOPMENT OF SPACE AND TERRITORY

1. Direction for land use:

Efficiently and economically utilize land resources, ensuring diverse economic development with multiple components towards production that yields high efficiency and guarantees sustainable environmental development. In addition to reasonably allocating land for agricultural production, it is necessary to ensure food and food safety goals through commodity production, increasing exports, supplying raw materials for processing industries, and setting aside an appropriate proportion of land for industrial development (industrial zones, clusters, points...); land for developing towns, village centers, and residential areas; land for technical infrastructure, social welfare, and housing...

- Agricultural land will be 190,400 hectares by 2010, accounting for 76.7% of total natural land area, and approximately 182,800 hectares by 2020, accounting for 73.7% of total natural land area.

- Non-agricultural land reached 51,920 hectares by 2010, accounting for 20.9% of total natural land area, and approximately 62,800 hectares by 2020, accounting for 25.3% of total natural land area.

- Unused land will remain at about 5,850 hectares by 2010, accounting for 2.4% of total natural land area, and approximately 2,590 hectares by 2020, accounting for 1.0% of total natural land area.

2. Direction for urban and rural residential area development:

Focus on upgrading and expanding My Tho City, Go Cong Town, and Cai Lay Town to become centers promoting economic and social development in the region and sub-regions; while developing towns, new residential areas, and urban areas with potential, linked to the development of industrial zones and the spread of the urban area of Ho Chi Minh City through economic corridors along National Highway 1, National Highway 50, expressways, and railways.

By 2020, the provincial urban network will include My Tho City - a first-class city; Go Cong Town - a third-class city; Cai Lay Town - a fourth-class city (in 2010) and a third-class city (in 2020); Cai Be Town and Tan Hiep Town - fourth-class cities; other towns will be fifth-class cities. Increase the rate of urbanization to 26% in 2010 and 37% in 2020.

Strengthen investment in socio-economic infrastructure for the newly established Tan Phu Dong District to create favorable conditions for economic and social development in island communes near the river mouth, closely tied to protecting maritime security and defense.

Continue planning and investing in building market towns, village centers, and rural residential areas, especially constructing residential clusters and housing in flood-prone areas, contributing to improving the quality of life, reducing poverty, and protecting the ecological environment of agriculture and rural areas in a sustainable manner.

3. Economic zoning:

- Region I: Eastern part of the province including Go Cong Town, Cho Gao District, Go Cong Tay District, Go Cong Dong District, and Tan Phu Dong District; total natural area 98,710 hectares, population accounting for 35.6% of the provincial population, average density 613 people/km². Develop the economy towards industry-commerce-service-agriculture, particularly tourism and marine transport services, leveraging proximity to Ho Chi Minh City, Vung Tau, and the sea. Concentrate investment in developing industrial-urban-service-tourism areas, creating a strong transformation in marine and coastal economies; continue developing agriculture-fisheries suitable to the ecosystem; combine economic development with maritime and coastal security and defense.²- Region II: Western part of the province, including Cai Be District, Cai Lay District, and Tan Phuoc District; natural area 119,030 hectares, population accounting for 39.3% of the provincial population, average density 561 people/km². Accelerate the process of economic structure transformation towards commerce-service-agriculture-industry; develop commerce-service strongly; build high-tech agricultural models; form industrial zones and clusters linked to specialized farming and commodity production areas.

- Region III: Central part of the province, including My Tho City and Chau Thanh District; natural area 30,436 hectares, population accounting for 25.1% of the provincial population, average density 1,401 people/km². Continue to play a leading role in local growth and support the development of all three regions. Develop industry, services, training, and human resource development. Lead in economic and social development fields and actively integrate and cooperate economically with the Southern Key Economic Region, Ho Chi Minh City Urban Area, and the Mekong Delta.²V. PROGRAMS FOR DEVELOPMENT AND PRIORITY RESEARCH INVESTMENT PROJECTS (Appendix attached)

VI. MAJOR SOLUTIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE PLAN²1. Capital mobilization solutions:

The total capital demand for development during the period 2006-2020 is approximately 422 trillion VND (about 20-22 billion USD), accounting for about 43.4% of GDP. Of which, the 2006-2010 period is 43.7 trillion VND, accounting for 40.1% of GDP.

VI. MAJOR SOLUTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE MASTER PLAN

1. CAPITAL RAISING SOLUTIONS:

The total capital requirement for development during the period from 2006 to 2020 is approximately 422 trillion VND (approximately 20 to 22 billion USD), accounting for about 43.4% of GDP. Of this, the period from 2006 to 2010 requires 43.7 trillion VND, representing 40.1% of GDP.

The expected investment capital sources include local budget, central budget, investment credit funds, residents' investment savings, and domestic and foreign enterprises' investments within the province. To meet the capital investment needs, the Province must have a system of active capital mobilization measures, with the main focus on leveraging internal resources.

Create a favorable investment environment and provide the best conditions for all economic sectors to participate in development; diversify various forms of capital mobilization and creation within the Province. Mobilize maximum domestic resources, particularly those from Ho Chi Minh City and key southern provinces; at the same time, intensify efforts to promote and attract foreign direct investment (FDI), official development assistance (ODA), non-governmental organizations (NGO), and overseas Vietnamese capital. Prioritize the mobilization and utilization of land fund capital for urban development and industrial infrastructure.

The use of capital is directed as follows: state budget or state budget-originated capital will be invested in major areas such as transportation infrastructure, ports, water supply and drainage, water reservoirs, wastewater treatment, solid waste management, and socially significant projects. Additionally, concentrate on mobilizing credit capital, corporate capital, and domestic investors' capital, as well as foreign investment capital, to invest in industrial zone infrastructure, tourism facilities, and other infrastructure projects.

2. Develop the market and enhance international integration capabilities:

Vigorously improve the investment environment for production and business development; comprehensively address issues from production to processing and consumption of key products that currently have competitive advantages or potential for enhanced competitiveness; enterprises must ensure product quality capable of competing when integrating and replacing imported goods.

Continue to implement reforms and improve the operational efficiency of state-owned enterprises and enterprises that have been privatized, encourage household economy and family farm economy development, especially cooperative economy.

Actively develop the domestic market, consolidate and effectively operate commercial centers and wholesale markets within the Province; promptly disseminate economic information, particularly mechanisms and policies facilitating economic and social activities of all economic sectors.

Develop an export-oriented investment strategy, focusing on maintaining and developing existing markets, carefully researching and promoting new market expansion. Provide conditions for enterprises to participate in domestic and international trade fairs and exhibitions, showcase products, and intensify advertising and sales activities.

Expand comprehensive cooperation between Tien Giang and other provinces in the region, particularly Ho Chi Minh City, to promote economic, scientific, technological development, human resource training, and enhance international economic integration capabilities.

3. Environmental protection:

Strengthen propaganda and education to raise awareness and responsibility for environmental protection.

Intensify preventive and restrictive measures against negative impacts on the environment; thoroughly control and treat pollution and environmental degradation; protect, rationally exploit, and efficiently utilize natural resources.

Promote socialization and diversification of investment in environmental protection. Balance the relationship between economic development and environmental protection for sustainable development.

Enhance domestic and international cooperation in environmental protection and improve research and application capabilities of science and technology in environmental protection.

Strengthen state management, institutional frameworks, and laws on environmental protection, particularly in planning, reviewing, approving, and implementing investment programs, plans, and projects, and strictly handle violations.

Intensify planning work and effectively implement national programs and action plans on environmental protection.

4. Human resource development:

Build and expand modern training institutions; strengthen collaboration and coordination with training institutions in Ho Chi Minh City, central government, and other regions to enhance the quality, quantity, and level of technical workforce.

Expand cooperation with universities, research institutes, and modern training facilities both inside and outside the province to train scientific and technical forces and high-level technical workers. Encourage enterprises with labor demands to collaborate and contribute capital with universities and vocational training centers to effectively train, supply, and utilize human resources.

Intensify professional training, diversify vocational training methods, and offer preferential policies for agricultural workers transitioning to other industries; reward and create working conditions to attract scientific and technical personnel and managers to work in the province. Implement training and retraining programs for managerial and business administration staff to meet international economic integration requirements.

5. Scientific and technological development:

 Reform scientific and technological activities, enhance the dissemination of scientific and technical information and market economic information; intensify the application and transfer of advanced scientific and technological progress, especially in information technology, biotechnology, and material technology fields. Collaborate with institutes, schools, centers, and scientists both domestically and internationally to carry out scientific projects and programs. Leverage the role of the Association of Science Societies in encouraging the establishment and effective operation of the Science and Technology Development Fund in the province.

6. Enhance administrative management capacity:

Vigorously reform administrative procedures, further decentralize authority to enhance state management effectiveness and law enforcement; strengthen democratic regulations and transparency in state management information to facilitate public participation in supervision and implementation.

7. Strengthen cooperation for development:

 Implement cooperation and linkage for development with provinces within the Region, ensuring investment in accordance with planning to fully utilize the economic potential of the Province, promoting cooperation with domestic and international localities; prioritizing cooperation to attract fields requiring high levels of expertise and technology that Tiền Giang Province has not yet accessed.

8. Organization of implementation:

Based on the overall socio-economic development plan already approved, the People's Committee of Tiền Giang Province will focus on directing relevant sectors and levels to develop five-year plans and annual plans in line with the development orientation of the Province. Develop action programs and development programs for each period according to the orientation of the overall socio-economic development plan of Tiền Giang Province until 2020.

During the implementation of the Plan, the People's Committee of Tiền Giang Province must regularly direct the review of indicators and plans to assess the implementation situation, promptly report to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision on adjusting and supplementing the Plan to suit the situation and requirements of socio-economic development at each stage.

Announce and publicize the Plan to attract the attention of the entire population, domestic and foreign investors to participate in its implementation. Coordinate with central ministries and agencies and neighboring provinces to implement development programs and joint development cooperation.

Article 2.

a) This Plan serves as guidance and a basis for establishing and submitting to the competent authority for approval and implementation of specialized plans and investment projects within the Province in accordance with regulations;

b) The People's Committee of Tiền Giang Province, based on the socio-economic development goals, tasks, and directions of the Province in this Plan, shall take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies to direct the establishment, approval, and implementation in accordance with regulations:

- Plans for socio-economic development of districts and towns, urban system development plans, residential area development plans, construction plans, land use plans, sectoral development plans, and field development plans to ensure comprehensive and synchronized development;

- Study and issue, or submit to competent state agencies for issuance, mechanisms and policies appropriate to the development requirements of the Province and state laws in each phase to mobilize and attract resources for implementing the Plan;

- Establish long-term, medium-term, and short-term plans; key development programs; specific projects for focused or phased investment in a reasonable sequence.

Article 3. Relevant ministries and agencies within their functions, duties, and authorities shall be responsible for:

- Guiding and assisting the People's Committee of Tiền Giang Province in researching and establishing the aforementioned plans; issuing, or submitting to competent state agencies for issuance, mechanisms and policies suitable for the socio-economic development requirements of the Province to effectively mobilize and utilize resources and encourage investment to contribute to achieving the socio-economic development goals, tasks, and directions of the Province;

- Studying and adjusting, supplementing industry development plans and investment project plans related to their responsibilities; accelerating investment and implementation of regional-scale and important projects for the Province's development within their scope of responsibility as a basis for the Province to implement this Plan.

This Decision shall take effect forty-five days from the date of issuance.

The Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of government agencies, and the Chairman of the People's Committee of Tien Giang Province are responsible for implementing this Decision./.