LookAtVietnam – Son La should rely on hydro-electric power development and agriculture to achieve sustainable development,

The Government leader also emphasized the urgency of eliminating poverty and drug addiction in the province’s five poorest districts. Son La still deals with a high poverty rate — 33 percent of its households live below the poverty line. Ethnic minority communities form a high percentage of the population.

Ministries and agencies should coordinate with the provincial people’s committee to build boarding schools for ethnic minority children, Na San airport and other infrastructural facilities, added the PM.

Dung noted that Son La should take advantage of its potential in agriculture and forestry to expand grass and maize cultivation, cattle breeding and the production of tea and rubber. It should strengthen processing of farm and forestry products for both local consumption and export.

The prime minister praised Son La for achieving GDP growth of 9.11 percent in the first half of 2009, speeding up the reorganization of its economic structure, developing industries and services, concentrating investment on infrastructure and human resources and building a strong Party and political system despite numerous difficulties and challenges.

VietNamNet/VNA