Hanoi (VNA)ꩵ – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked the authorities of the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak to boost economic restructuring in a more practical manner during a working session with local leaders on June 21.

The Government leader suggested the locality pay heed to fostering agricultural production, seeking and expanding markets for farm products, and running campaigns to promote agricultural products and trademarks. He also required Dak Lak to examine its land fund and mechanisms to reasonably distribute cultivation land to locals, towards facilitating agricultural production and private economic development and improving locals’ living conditions. While speaking highly of the local authorities’ determination to develop Buon Ma Thuot city into a centre of the region, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc urged the province to focus on ensuring water for production and daily use, effectively preventing deforestation and minimising migration that is hindering the locality from realising its growth targets. He underlined the necessary for Dak Lak to well perform ethnic and religious policies and encourage start-up activities, while taking measures to improve its investment climate and provincial competitiveness index (PCI) in the spirit of Resolutions 19 and 35 of the Government. According to Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Pham Thanh Nghi, Dak Lak will focus on building new-style rural areas in a practical and comprehensive manner, aiming to bring sustainable interests to local farmers. The locality will strongly invest in agricultural production and industries serving agriculture as well as develop energy, services and tourism, he stressed. Dak Lak has submitted a proposal to the Government to build the York Don National Tourism Site on the basis of the York Don National Park, with a view to laying a foundation for pushing local economic and tourism development in the future. Agreeing in principle with the locality’s proposal, the PM requested relevant ministries and sectors, and the local authorities to strictly abide by regulations on forest development and environmental protection in the national park. The site should also serve as a centre for training and performing traditional art forms of Central Highlands ethnic minority groups, contributing to preserving the unique cultural values of the region, he stressed. Dak Lak has been one of the localities hardest hit by prolonged drought in the Central Highlands. However, it still maintained a stable socio-economic development, with estimated Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) hitting 16.5 trillion VND (742.5 million USD) in the first two quarters of this year, up 4.6 percent year-on-year. It also made remarkable achievements in budget collection, poverty reduction, and support for people in drought-hit areas./.