Decision No. 801/QD-TTg Approving the Master Plan for Socio-Economic Development of An Giang Province until 2020

Pursuant to …;

Approving the overall socio-economic development plan for An Giang Province until 2020 tỉnh An Giang đến năm 2020

PRIME MINISTER

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

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

Considering the proposal of the People's Committee of An Giang Province,

DECISION:

Article 1. Approves the overall socio-economic development plan for An Giang Province until 2020 (hereinafter referred to as the Plan), with the main contents as follows:

I. DEVELOPMENT VIEWS

1. Exploit effectively the potential and advantages of the Province to accelerate sustainable economic growth, building An Giang into one of the key trading centers in the region and ASEAN countries. Economic development is combined with resource and environmental protection, adapting to climate change conditions, and developing infrastructure capable of responding to natural disasters and sustainable development.

2. Combine industrialization of agriculture and modernization of rural areas with expanding urban zones, key economic regions, dynamic industrial and service sectors; ensuring stable income for farmers.

3. Economic growth goes hand in hand with social and cultural development, ensuring that all citizens have opportunities to participate in and enjoy the fruits of development. Improve the quality of human resources, particularly the cadre of managers, scientific and technical staff, and business leaders.

4. Closely integrate economic development with national defense and security assurance, especially border security; maintain friendly relations with neighboring provinces along the Vietnam-Cambodia border. Build an administrative system gradually towards modernization, strengthening the grassroots political system.

II. DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES

1. General objectives:

Building An Giang to achieve a relatively high level of socio-economic development compared to other provinces in the region by 2020; develop synchronized economic, cultural-social, educational and training infrastructure, gradually improving people's living standards; promote international integration, strengthen development linkages, especially with localities in the Mekong Delta and the Southern Key Economic Region.

Fundamentally transform production, business, services, and economic-social management activities from primarily manual labor to advanced technology-based labor, based on industrial development and scientific and technological progress, creating high social labor productivity. Invest in developing breakthrough programs, projects, and initiatives with focus and priority.

2. Specific Objectives:

a) On economic development:

- The average annual economic growth rate reaches 12.5% during the period 2011-2020; per capita GDP reaches $2,200 in 2015 and $3,540 in 2020.

- The economic structure will shift towards increasing the share of industry, construction, and services while reducing the share of agriculture. By 2015, the agricultural-livestock-fishery, industry, construction, and service sectors will be 25.24%, 17.56%, and 57.2% respectively; by 2020, they will be 19.7%, 21%, and 59.3% respectively.

- Strive to reach an export turnover of $1.2 billion in 2015 and $1.8 to $2 billion in 2020.

b) On social development:

- The average population growth rate during the period 2011-2015 is 0.53%; during the period 2011-2020 is 0.4-0.45%. Reduce the poverty rate (according to the poverty standard of each period) by an average of 2% per year.

- Achieve nationwide secondary education普及程度全省到2015年达到，2025年746所中的765所学校（相当于97.6%）达到国家标准。

- 力争到2015年使接受过培训的劳动力比例达到50%，到2020年达到65%。到2020年城镇失业率保持在自然失业率水平以下（低于5%），农村劳动时间利用率提高到90%以上。

- 到2015年使农村居民使用清洁用水的比例达到63.4%，到2020年达到100%；到2020年城市居民使用清洁用水的比例达到100%，确保所有居民都能使用清洁用水。

c) On environmental protection:

Ensure pollution control in the headwater forest area, protective forest area, and urban areas including Long Xuyen City, Cho Moi District, and Tan Chau District. Increase the coverage of forests and long-term industrial trees, fruit trees to 30% by 2020.

III. DIRECTION FOR DEVELOPMENT OF SECTORS AND INDUSTRIES

1. Development of agriculture, forestry, and aquaculture

- Plan agricultural development in conjunction with measures to address water resource depletion due to climate change and the impact of upstream Mekong River water usage activities.

- Develop large-scale commercial agricultural production areas to promote the application of science and technology and high mechanized farming methods from land preparation to harvest, aiming to produce high-quality agricultural products that meet domestic and international market demands; stabilize the rice planting area according to the approved plan, contributing to national food security. The direction of development is to increase crop yields, produce clean agricultural products, including rice.

- Improve crop and livestock varieties to serve the Mekong Delta region.

- Identify rice and catfish, basa fish as strategic products of the Province; maintain the view of developing the aquaculture industry as one of the key economic sectors, focusing on improving the quality of aquatic products.

- Total area for aquaculture production reaches over 11,800 hectares by 2020. Aquatic surface water culture focuses on cage and raft culture, emphasizing improving the quality of culture while reasonably developing both the quality and quantity of cages and rafts. Main cultivation areas: My Hoa Hung section of Hau River, Vinh Xuan section of Tien River in Tan Chau District, Cu Vung section of Phu Tan District, My Hiep section of Tien River.

- Gradually build新农村建设符合国家关于新农村的标准；力争到2015年实现25%的乡达到新农村标准，到2020年实现50%的乡达到新农村标准。

- On the basis of the overall master plan for the entire Mekong Delta region, develop the system of irrigation works taking into account climate change and rising sea levels; pay attention to local water storage for daily use and production; construct some embankments to prevent bank erosion in key vulnerable areas.

- Study and develop crop varieties and livestock breeds with high productivity, good disease resistance, and suitability to the soil conditions, climate, and ecosystems of the Province.

2. Develop industry and small-scale cottage industry.

- Complete the construction of centralized industrial zones, including the Vam Cong zone (Long Xuyen city), the Hoi An zone (Cho Moi district) and several clusters of small-scale cottage industry to meet the development requirements of the Province; strive to fill all industrial zones by 2020.

- Processing of food grains, foodstuffs, and aquatic products: Establish a system of rice storage warehouses and agricultural product preservation facilities; use advanced technology equipment for processing agricultural and aquatic products to increase the value of goods. Strive to have most agricultural and aquatic products processed before entering the market by 2015.

- Manufacturing and repair of mechanical equipment: Continue to research and mechanize agriculture, primarily in planting, harvesting, and threshing stages; improve drying equipment to meet quality standards; enhance the capacity to manufacture agricultural machinery.

- Mining industry and production of building materials: Strengthen exploration and investigation work, planning mining areas while protecting the environment and tourism landscapes. Modernize equipment and technology to improve the quality of building materials, increasing competitiveness in domestic markets and exports.

- Develop traditional craft products serving tourism and diversify traditional specialty goods of the Province.

- Domestic water supply from 2015 to 2020:

Construct a domestic water supply system with appropriate scale and gradually invest to increase the capacity of existing water treatment plants to meet the domestic water needs of the population.

3. Develop trade and services.

a) Trade

- Diversify trading forms, build material infrastructure and organize civilized and modern trading activities, supermarkets. Focus on developing and expanding domestic and export markets. Encourage various economic sectors to participate in trade in fields with potential and advantages; effectively exploit rural, mountainous, border markets.

- Develop Long Xuyen city and Chau Doc town into major dynamic commercial centers of the Province; Tan Chau - Vinh Xuan and the Tinh Bien - Tri Ton - Nui Sap axis as economic engines driving other regions' development. Expand wholesale and retail central markets, linking them with markets in urban centers and districts.

- Complete the general planning, invest in developing infrastructure for the international border economic zone at Tinh Bien, Vinh Xuan and the two national border gates at Khanh Binh and Vinh Hoi Dong. Study investment in building a comprehensive infrastructure, bonded warehouses for the border economic zone; establish related service industries linked to border economic activities.

- Develop financial, banking, insurance, investment advisory, technology transfer, intellectual property, management consulting, legal consulting, e-commerce, telecommunications services to meet production requirements, contributing to rapidly transforming the economic structure and labor force of the Province.

b) Tourism

- Leverage all resources to build and develop tourism; diversify tourism products, promote joint ventures and cooperation with domestic and international tourism units. Strive to attract 6.5 million visitors by 2020. Develop key tourist areas: Sam Mountain, Cam Mountain, Co To Mountain, Giai Mountain, Bac Ton Commemoration Area, and My Khanh Entertainment Complex; intra-provincial tour routes: Long Xuyen - Cho Moi - Phu Tan - Tan Chau - An Phu; Long Xuyen - Chau Than - Chau Pu - Chau Doc - Tinh Bien - Tri Ton - Thoai Son; inter-provincial and international tour routes. Develop diverse types of tourism such as sightseeing, resort, eco-tourism, sports, entertainment, cultural, spiritual tourism, linking tourism with souvenir shopping and culinary experiences.

- Preserve and develop traditional craft villages linked with tourism and environmental protection in commercial and tourism activities.

4. Social sectors

a) Education and training

- Develop pre-school and primary education networks in conjunction with socialization to promote education. Strive to reach 80% of primary school teachers having college degrees, 90% of secondary school teachers having university degrees, and 20% of high school teachers having postgraduate degrees by 2020. Aim to fully solidify school buildings in the period 2012-2015. Build boarding schools for ethnic minority areas.

- Establish and upgrade educational institutions and centers to meet the resource needs for industrialization and modernization of the Province.

b) Health care and community health

- Effectively implement national health programs, paying attention to the health of the entire population. Proactively prevent and control diseases, maintain polio eradication results, eliminate neonatal tetanus, and reduce blindness due to vitamin A deficiency. Ensure that 100% communes, wards, and towns have health stations, each station having 10 beds; 100% communes have doctors and midwives, striving for 8 doctors per 10,000 people and over 1.2 pharmacists per 10,000 people by 2020.

- Construct and upgrade specialized hospitals and socially-owned hospitals in border areas; build commune health stations according to the approved health network planning for the region and the country.

- Construct health centers to provide healthcare for the population and other societal needs.

c) Culture and Sports

- Build and form cultural and sports centers suitable to meet the requirements of socio-economic development in localities.

- Renovating, restoring cultural and historical relics; exploring, excavating, preserving, and utilizing them to enhance cultural value and develop various forms of culture (theater, cinemas); developing eco-tourism, historical tourism, and spiritual tourism.

- Promoting and mobilizing all social strata to participate in mass sports movements to strengthen health; effectively implementing socialization work in cultural, sports, and tourism activities.

d) Other social issues.

Implementing synchronously and effectively poverty reduction programs and projects, creating conditions for the poor to enjoy basic social services programs and services, striving to lift 12 particularly difficult communes out of poverty, and completing the main objectives of Program 135. Building a social welfare support system at district levels.

5. Infrastructure development.

Transportation infrastructure is an area of breakthrough investment that must be completed with various types: roadways, waterways, and aviation.

a) For infrastructure projects under central management: Coordinate with the Ministry of Transport to implement investments according to planning with a phased approach for projects within the province's territory.

b) For infrastructure projects under local management:

Based on planning and resources that the province can proactively allocate, consider investing in roads serving the economic and social development needs of the province (Nam Vinh Trieu (DT 945) route, Nam Cay Duong (DT 947) route; Chi Lang - Nui Vo - Tan Lap - Chau Phu - Chau Thanh - Thoai Son - National Highway 80 (Cai San); Route 1 (DT 946); Long Dien A - B (Kinh Than Nong - connection to Kinh Long An bridge), East Hau River Road (Phu Tan)).

- Constructing and completing port systems, inland ports. Exploiting river transport routes linked to the province’s port system.

- Upgrading drainage systems, wastewater treatment, and protecting water environments in each area. Directing the planning of clean water supply networks for urban areas and concentrated residential areas.

6. Information and technology sector.

- Achieving a relatively good level nationwide in terms of information and communication technology development. Fixed-line and postpaid subscriber density reaching 34 subscribers per 100 people; Internet subscriber density reaching 20 subscribers per 100 people.

- Bringing administrative public services into operation with regularity, gradually improving the content and form to make this service operate effectively, meeting the needs of all social strata and society.

- Developing synchronized digital technology in broadcasting and television transmission to serve the needs of people in remote, mountainous, border regions.

7. Environmental protection.

- Harmoniously combining economic development with natural resource and environmental protection to ensure sustainable development.

- Protecting and maintaining the quality of water sources, conserving natural ecosystems and scenic landscapes of the Thất Sơn Natural Heritage Site. Organizing waste disposal systems reasonably, especially in urban areas, towns, and market towns.

- Strengthening solid waste management capacity and promoting socialization in waste collection and treatment. Controlling pollution caused by agricultural chemicals.

- Managing the environment based on enhancing the capacity of environmental management agencies and enforcement mechanisms.

- Striving to achieve by 2020 that over 90% of solid waste is collected and treated.

- Applying scientific and technological advancements in sanitation to ensure a clean environment in rural areas.

- Striving to build sewage treatment plants for domestic and industrial wastewater by 2020, suitable for the socio-economic development conditions of the province, ensuring ecological balance.

IV. GUIDELINES FOR ORGANIZING TERRITORIAL SPACE.

1. Flood control planning combined with climate change adaptation and sea-level rise response.

- Constructing salinity control gates on channels leading to the West Sea based on overall regional planning, ensuring freshwater storage for production and daily use.

- Arranging production by region and sub-region according to flood impact levels. Scheduling crop seasons based on annual flood cycles and peak floods.

- Constructing flood control gates and embankment systems combined with sea-level rise response measures. Implementing the Nam Vam Nao Flood Control Project. Taking measures against bank erosion along the Mekong and Hau Rivers, regulating river flows, and planning relocation and resettlement for severely eroded areas.

- Continuing to review and plan residential areas, integrated with infrastructure construction (transportation, healthcare, education, embankments, levees).

- Developing plans to respond to climate change, particularly the impacts of sea-level rise. Managing, using, and exploiting resources rationally, efficiently, and in accordance with the law.

2. Forming several major transportation routes:

National Highway 91: Long Xuyen - Chau Thanh - Chau Phu - Chau Doc - Tinh Bien; Provincial Route 943: Phu Hoa - Nui Sap - Ba The (Thoai Son) - Co To; Connecting Provincial Route 948: Tri Ton Town - Nui Cam - Chi Lang - Nha Bang (Tinh Bien); Provincial Route 956: Cau Cong Tien (Chau Doc) - National Border Gate Khanh Binh (An Phu); Provincial Route 953: Tan Chau - Chau Doc; Provincial Route 941: Lo Te - Tri Ton; Provincial Route 944: An Hoa - Cuu Hoi Junction; Riverside Road: Provincial Routes 942, 954, and 952.

3. Building and developing the urban network by 2020 including:

Long Xuyen City; Chau Doc Town; Tan Chau Town; 16 townships including: Phu My, Cho Moi, My Luong, Nui Sap, Ba The, Tri Ton, Nha Bang, An Phu, An Chau, Cai Dau, Tinh Bien, Long Binh, Vinh Xuong, Cong Tien, Binh Hoa, Vinh Binh; forming 8 new townships from emerging urban areas: Kenh Dao (Chau Phu), Co To (Tri Ton), Cong Tien (An Phu), Hoa Lac (Phu Tan), Binh Hoa, Can Dang, Vinh Binh (along DT 941 Chau Thanh), and An Hao (Nui Cam Tourism Area - Tinh Bien).

4. Rural, mountainous, and border area development:

- Enhancing the restructuring of rural economies;

- Developing rural markets and markets with potential advantages;

- Building infrastructure in rural areas to meet the requirements of restructuring the rural economy towards industrialization and modernization;

- Planning the development of small agricultural regions within the province.

+ Sub-region 1: Includes the four island districts, the city of Châu Đốc, Châu Phú district, Châu Thành district, Long Xuyên city, and Thoại Sơn district;

+ Sub-region 2: Includes the city of Châu Đốc, Châu Phú district, Châu Thành district, Thoại Sơn district, Tri Tôn district, and Tịnh Biên district;

+ Sub-region 3: The remaining parts of Tri Tôn district and Tịnh Biên district, mainly consisting of plains and mountain foot rice fields.

- Invest in factories for processing export vegetables and fruits, rice milling, and food processing located in industrial zones and clusters of Châu Phú district, Châu Thành district, Chợ Mới district, and Long Xuyên city.

- Invest in factories for processing agricultural, forestry, aquatic, and marine products, canned goods located in industrial zones and clusters of Châu Phú district, Chợ Mới district, and Long Xuyên city.

V. LIST OF PRIORITY INVESTMENT PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS

(Annex attached)

VI. SOLUTIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE PLAN

1. Regarding mobilizing investment capital

- Mobilize all domestic and foreign capital sources to develop the economy and society; focusing on mobilizing capital from land funds, ODA loans; socializing investment, strengthening PPP forms.

- Practice thorough thrift to effectively use and increase the accumulation rate of investment from the provincial budget. Increase investment efficiency and shorten investment time.

- Establish project portfolios managed by local authorities to concentrate on infrastructure development according to each phase.

- Study the establishment of mechanisms to mobilize investment capital for the Southern Key Economic Region and special mechanisms to attract investment for certain key projects.

2. Enhancing people's knowledge, developing human resources, and science and technology

- Strengthen propaganda, mobilization, combined with legal education and legal assistance for the people.

- Attract and train high-quality human resources to meet development requirements. Enhance vocational training for workers, especially rural laborers. Implement preferential policies to attract talented individuals and highly skilled labor for industrialization and modernization of agriculture and rural areas.

- Focus on training and nurturing a dynamic, creative, resilient, and ethical business community to meet the requirements of economic and social development of the province.

- Transfer and apply scientific and technological advancements to production and other fields.

3. Enhancing administrative management capacity

- Implement administrative reform programs, particularly the one-stop mechanism for most production and business sectors.

- Improve and train professional skills for cadres, civil servants, and public officials.

- Implement grassroots democracy regulations and information transparency systems for the people regarding state policies and local government policies.

4. Struggling against corruption, negative phenomena, and social evils

Mobilize and organize all social strata to participate in the struggle against corruption, negative phenomena, and social evils, effectively preventing such phenomena, especially border area social evils like smuggling, trafficking women and children, prostitution, and drug trafficking.

5. Strengthening cooperation with provinces in the Southern Key Economic Region, the Mekong Delta region, the Southeastern region, and nationwide

- Cooperate and call for investment in tourist areas, industrial zones, and border economic zones.

- Cooperate in development with Cần Thơ city, Hồ Chí Minh city, Kiên Giang province, Đồng Tháp province, and other provinces in agriculture, aquaculture, industry, and tourism.

- Coordinate with provinces in the region to research, propose, and recommend special policies to the central government for the agricultural region responsible for national food security.

- Strengthen cooperation with neighboring Cambodia, particularly the two border provinces, to promote trade and service development in border economic zones and exploit border economic development.

6. Solutions related to national defense and security

Ensure necessary conditions to serve national defense and security work in border regions and political stability.

VII. ORGANIZATION AND SUPERVISION OF PLAN IMPLEMENTATION

1. After the Provincial Socio-Economic Development Master Plan until 2020 is approved by the Prime Minister, the Province needs to organize its announcement and dissemination to Party committees, governments, departments, mass organizations, enterprises, and the people within the Province; simultaneously, proceed to develop specific action programs to implement the Plan.

2. Specificize the objectives and tasks of the Plan through five-year plans and annual plans to effectively implement the Plan. Annually assess the implementation of the Plan, based on which review and recommend adjustments and supplements to the Plan according to authority to suit the socio-economic development situation of the Province at each period.

3. All levels, departments, political-social organizations, and the people have the responsibility to inspect and supervise the implementation of the Plan.

Article 2. The Provincial Socio-Economic Development Master Plan until 2020 serves as the basis for establishing, approving, and implementing sectoral plans (urban planning, land use planning, and other sectoral plans), and investment projects in An Giang Province.

Article 3. Entrust the People's Committee of An Giang Province to base on the approved Plan, take the lead, and coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to direct the establishment, approval, and implementation of the following contents according to regulations:

1. Sectoral development plans, main product plans; urban system development plans and residential points; regional construction plans; construction plans; land use plans and comprehensive socio-economic development plans at the district, town, and city level.

2. Five-year plans, annual plans; key economic, cultural, and social development programs; specific projects to implement the Plan.

3. Research and establish, issue, or submit to competent state agencies for issuance of some appropriate mechanisms and policies in accordance with the development requirements of the Province and state laws during each period to attract and mobilize resources for Plan implementation.

Article 4. Relevant central ministries and sectors within their functions, duties, and powers have the responsibility:

- Guide and assist the People's Committee of An Giang Province in the process of implementing the Master Plan; in cases where necessary, coordinate with the province to study and develop or submit to the competent authority for issuance certain mechanisms and policies suitable to effectively utilize resources to encourage and attract investment in accordance with the economic and social development goals and tasks set out in the Master Plan.

- Study, review, adjust, and supplement the industry development master plan and investment plans for related projects and works already proposed in the approved overall master plan; support the Province in arranging and mobilizing domestic and foreign investment capital to implement the Master Plan.

Article 5. This Decision takes effect from the date of signing and replaces Decision No. 71/2007/QĐ-TTg dated May 22, 2007 of the Government Chairman on approving the overall master plan for socio-economic development of An Giang Province until 2020.

Article 6. The Chairman of the People's Committee of An Giang Province, Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, and Heads of government-affiliated agencies are responsible for enforcing this Decision./.