He expressed his happiness with the province’s socio-economic achievements in 2008 and asked the provincial government to strengthen hunger eradication and poverty alleviation efforts, according priority to investment in mountainous areas.

The general secretary had similar greetings and wishes for the authorities and residents of central Quang Tri Province, where he called on families who’d made great contributions to the national cause and presented them with gifts.

State President Nguyen Minh Triet extended his New Year’s greetings to the local authorities and people of south-central Khanh Hoa Province and central Phu Yen Province.

He asked Khanh Hoa to maintain last year’s achievements and further boost socio-economic development in 2009. He praised Phu Yen for its impressive GDP growth of 12.3 percent in 2008.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung advised the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai to effectively implement the Party and State’s policies on religion and stressed the need to provide land and financial assistance to local residents to help them develop production and stabilize their lives.

He also asked Gia Lai authorities to fully exploit the province’s resources through industrial crops, the mining industry, hydropower generation and timber processing. This would ensure rapid development of the province, he said.

Meanwhile, on his visit to Ha Tinh, Truong Tan Sang, a Politburo member and standing chairman of the Vietnam Communist Party Secretarial Board, paid tribute at the memorials of martyrs and national heroes.

Source: VNA