Development lever for difficult areas

In recent years, Quang Ninh has focused large resources on infrastructure investment for mountainous, border, and island areas, where ethnic minorities live. From transportation, electricity, water, healthcare, education to information and trade infrastructure, a series of synchronous and modern projects have been changing the face of difficult areas, creating momentum for socio-economic development, improving people's lives, and at the same time strengthening national defense and security, aiming for sustainable and inclusive development.

Shorten the distance between mountainous and urban areas

In the socio -economic development strategy for disadvantaged areas, Quang Ninh has identified transport infrastructure as a key lever to create a breakthrough. The province has focused large resources and implemented many key projects to remove "bottlenecks" in connectivity, shortening the distance between mountainous and border areas and economic and urban centers.

Among the key traffic projects, Provincial Road 341 (QL18C) from Mong Cai Border Gate Economic Zone to Bac Phong Sinh Border Gate Economic Zone is a clear demonstration of the determination to invest in infrastructure in difficult areas. The 35.26km long route passes through many mountainous and border communes that have faced traffic difficulties. Previously, people had difficulty traveling, transporting goods was slow, and costs were high. After being completed and put into use in September 2023, this road has truly "opened the way" for the border area.

Thanks to the new route, people in the highland communes with Provincial Road 341 passing through have more convenient connections with the center; trading agricultural products and exchanging goods is also faster and safer. Many ethnic minority households have had the opportunity to access the market, find stable outlets for their products, thereby improving their income and quality of life. Not only contributing to hunger eradication and poverty reduction, the project also opens up opportunities for people to participate more deeply in border economic activities, gradually rising to become rich right in their homeland.

In addition to its economic value, Provincial Road 341 also helps shorten the development gap between the border area and the central area, creating conditions for people to have better access to medical, educational and cultural services. This project is not only a route of trade, but also a route of change, opening up many new expectations for mountainous and border communes on the development journey.

After Provincial Road 341, in September 2023, another important traffic project was also started, the project to renovate and upgrade Provincial Road 342 connecting Ha Long - Ba Che - Lang Son with a length of 20.9km, width of 9m, designed according to grade III mountainous standards. The project has a total investment of more than 800 billion VND from the provincial budget, including 4 large bridges (Thac Da, Thac Cha, Khe Lu, Khe Lao) and a synchronous infrastructure system to ensure traffic safety. After more than a year of construction, the route was completed, meeting the progress and technical requirements, becoming a new "connecting circuit" for the highlands of Quang Ninh.

The opening of the route significantly reduces the distance and travel time between the Ha Long - Lang Son area, and at the same time forms a complete traffic corridor connecting Quang Ninh with Lang Son and Bac Ninh. Thanks to that, ethnic minorities in the old Ba Che district have more favorable conditions to access the market, the value of agricultural and forestry products is increased, and people's lives are increasingly improved. The route also plays an important role in attracting investment, expanding development space, creating momentum for this area to soon become an economic center of forestry, medicinal herbs associated with eco-tourism and modern rural services.

Not only bringing economic benefits, Provincial Road 342 also affirms Quang Ninh's special attention to mountainous areas and ethnic minority areas. This is a vivid demonstration of the policy of investing in infrastructure in places with many difficulties, aiming to narrow the development gap, realize the goal of inclusive growth, so that all people can enjoy the results of change.

If the completion of provincial roads 341 and 342 has brought about significant changes to the highlands, the groundbreaking of provincial road 330 on the occasion of the recent National Day continues to open up new expectations for the infrastructure appearance of the mountainous region of Quang Ninh in the near future. The project is nearly 21km long, with a total investment of 987 billion VND from the provincial budget, passing through Ba Che commune to the intersection with provincial road 342. This is a vital route, directly connecting the highlands of Ba Che and Ky Thuong with the provincial center and neighboring provinces such as Lang Son and Bac Ninh, creating a smooth traffic flow between dynamic and difficult areas.

Unlike the old route which was narrow, had many hairpin bends, and steep slopes that posed dangers, the Provincial Road 330 project was designed according to the Grade III mountainous standards, with a 9m wide roadbed and asphalt concrete surface. Many modern items such as river crossings, viaducts, retaining walls, and route alignment will also be deployed to thoroughly handle dangerous curves, ensuring safety and convenience for traffic. This is not only a technical improvement, but also a commitment to bring the people of the highlands closer to travel conditions equal to those of the plains and urban areas.

Delegates and people performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the project to renovate and upgrade provincial road 330. Photo : Minh Duc

The greatest significance of the project is not just in shortening the travel distance. For ethnic minorities in Ba Che and Ky Thuong, the new road is an opportunity to escape the vicious cycle of difficulties in trade, opening the way to bring agricultural products, medicinal herbs, and forestry products to a larger market. When the transportation of goods becomes more convenient, the economic value of local products is increased, thereby contributing to improving income and improving the quality of life for people.

Not only that, Provincial Road 330 also plays an important role in connecting regional development. When completed, the route will add an important link in the synchronous transport infrastructure network of Quang Ninh, creating an economic corridor linking Ha Long - Ba Che - Lang Son. This is a condition to attract more investment projects, tourism services, forestry economic development, medicinal herbs associated with nature conservation, thereby turning the potential of the mountainous region into a real competitive advantage.

Above all, the project's groundbreaking on the occasion of National Day September 2 has special political and social significance, demonstrating the commitment of the Party Committee and the Quang Ninh government to prioritizing resources for the most difficult areas. This is not only a concrete road in the mountains and forests, but also a road of faith and aspiration for the ethnic minorities to rise up. It opens up hope that in the near future, the highlands of Quang Ninh will no longer be a "lowland" of development, but will become a harmonious part of the overall picture of the province's richness, modernity and sustainability.

The area is difficult to change every day.

If transport infrastructure is considered a “lever” for development, then the comprehensive change of disadvantaged areas can only be truly affirmed when accompanied by synchronous investment in other essential factors such as electricity, water, information, health, education, and culture. Therefore, in recent years, Quang Ninh has devoted huge resources to covering and improving the quality of basic infrastructure services in mountainous areas, ethnic minority areas, remote areas, border areas and islands. The goal is not only to build roads, but also to create a modern, sustainable living foundation for all people, helping them have equal access to development opportunities.

Implementing Resolution No. 16/2021/NQ-HDND and Resolution No. 06-NQ/TU, for the period 2021-2025, the province has allocated up to 4,200 billion VND of public investment capital from the provincial budget for communes, villages, and hamlets in ethnic minority, mountainous, border, and island areas, reaching 100% of the medium-term plan. This is an investment level that clearly shows priority, showing that improving infrastructure in difficult areas is not a temporary solution, but a long-term strategy, with a vision to 2030.

Not only stopping at the provincial budget, Quang Ninh also mobilized all other capital sources. In 5 years, the total resources for the development of difficult areas reached over 120,203 billion VND. Of which, credit capital for agriculture and rural areas accounted for 81.11% with more than 97,000 billion VND; budgets at all levels contributed more than 6,400 billion VND; capital combined from many programs and projects was nearly 15,000 billion VND. Along with that, the participation of enterprises, cooperatives, and other legal capital sources. It can be seen that the development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas does not only rely on the state budget, but has become a common cause, with the contribution of the whole society.

From this powerful resource, the appearance of the disadvantaged areas in Quang Ninh has undergone fundamental changes. One of the outstanding achievements is that 100% of households in the area have had access to safe and stable electricity. Electricity not only lights up remote villages, but also serves production and business, paving the way for the application of science and technology, promoting the development of household and community economies.

Along with electricity, water supply infrastructure is also given attention. Up to now, 99.99% of rural households have access to clean water, of which over 85.5% have access to clean water that meets the prescribed standards. In particular, the rate of ethnic minority households using clean water is 100%. This is an important factor to ensure health, improve the quality of life, and reduce diseases in remote areas - where in the past, there was often a lack of clean water, and people had to use water from streams and streams that posed a risk of being unsanitary.

In the field of information and communication, Quang Ninh has basically eliminated the "troughs" of telephone and television signals. Currently, 100% of villages and hamlets have mobile signals, 100% of the population is covered by 4G, with over 6,359 BTS stations installed across the province. The Internet and mobile phones have now become familiar tools not only for communication, but also opening up opportunities for learning, accessing information, and e-commerce for people in mountainous areas.

Along with the “hard” infrastructure, Quang Ninh also pays special attention to social infrastructure. In the period of 2021-2025, the province has invested in repairing and upgrading 24 schools at all levels, and at the same time supported the construction of new high-quality schools. Thanks to that, ethnic minority children have the opportunity to study in a better environment, access modern educational methods, creating a foundation for the long-term development of local human resources.

In terms of health, many provincial and district hospitals have been upgraded and equipped with more modern facilities. This helps people in remote areas access quality health care services without having to travel far. Along with that, the system of cultural houses and community centers has also been invested synchronously. Up to now, 100% of ethnic minority villages and hamlets have cultural houses, becoming places to connect the community, preserve and promote national cultural identity, and at the same time improve the spiritual life of the people.

In addition to basic institutions, the province also focuses on investing in trade and service infrastructure in rural and mountainous areas. Central markets and transaction points are built and renovated, helping people consume products more easily, access diverse goods at reasonable prices. This is an important step to promote the rural economy, create conditions for local products to reach out to large markets, and gradually integrate into the common value chain.

Along with that is the irrigation infrastructure and natural disaster prevention, which is very important for mountainous areas. The construction and upgrading of irrigation works, dams, and anti-landslide embankments not only ensures agricultural production, but also contributes to protecting people's lives and property from natural disasters and climate change.

It can be seen that the numbers and completed projects are vivid evidence of Quang Ninh's determination. Investing in disadvantaged areas is not only a budget priority, but also a way to demonstrate the province's responsibility in harmonious development, not leaving any area or person behind.

New schools, spacious medical stations, electricity, water, telecommunications systems covering every village... have been and are contributing to fundamentally changing the face of mountainous areas and ethnic minority areas. More importantly, they bring to the people here the belief and aspiration that their children will study in better conditions, have opportunities to access information and jobs; the aspiration for a prosperous and comfortable life right in their homeland.

Thanks to these efforts, Quang Ninh has not only affirmed its pioneering position in socio-economic development, but also become a bright spot in caring for disadvantaged areas. This is a clear demonstration of the inclusive development path, with people at the center, all people, whether in mountainous, border or island areas, can enjoy the results of change.

Hoang Anh

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/don-bay-phat-trien-cho-vung-kho-3374887.html