Mr Manh made the proposal at a working session with provincial Party and administration leaders on January 16-17.

The Party leader praised the province for its outstanding efforts in recent years to achieve a high economic growth rate, restructure its economy effectively and reduce the number of poor households.

He asked the province to pour more investments into infrastructure development and disadvantaged areas this year.

Mr Manh said that in addition to accelerating exports, Thua Thien-Hue should fully exploit the local market.

The primary task is to prepare sufficient goods for local people in the lead up to the traditional Lunar New Year festival (Tet) and to help poor families and flood victims welcome a happy Tet.

Over the past three years, the province has achieved an annual economic growth rate of nearly 13 percent, the services sector increased by more than 13 percent, the industrial sector by 20 percent and the agricultural sector by nearly 4 percent. It removed all dilapidated houses and built more than 9,500 new ones worth more than VND110 billion for over 600 poor families.

On the occasion, Mr Manh visited and presented Tet gifts to some families of social beneficiaries in the province.

Also on January 17, State President Nguyen Minh Triet visited the south-central province of Phu Yen. He urged provincial leaders to pay more attention to developing infrastructure, especially in mountainous areas.

He emphasised that the province should devise measures to ensure social security and support the poor and families of social beneficiaries in the face of economic difficulties.

Mr Triet presented 650 Tet gifts to poor households and families of social beneficiaries.

(Source: VOV)