To build a new countryside with gradually modem socio-economic infrastructure, rational economic structure and forms of production organization; to associate agriculture with quick development of industries and services, and rural with urban development under planning; to assure a democratic and stable rural community deeply imbued with national cultural identity; to protect the eco-environment and maintain security and order; and to raise people's material and spiritual lives along the socialist orientation.

1. By 2015, 20% of communes will reach new countryside standards (under the national set of new countryside criteria).

2. By 2020, 50% of communes will reach new countryside standards (under the national set of new countryside criteria).

1. Duration: from 2010 to 2020.

2. Scope: rural areas nationwide.

The program is an overall socio-economic development, political and security and defense one, covering the following 11 activities:

1. Planning to build a new countryside

1.1. Objective: To satisfy the requirements of criterion 1 of the national set of new countryside criteria. By 2011, to basically complete countryside building master plans nationwide as a basis for building a new countryside and attaining the national objectives of building a new countryside during 2010-2020;

1.2. Contents:

- Content 1: Planning the use of land and essential infrastructure for developing the commodity agricultural production, industries, small and cottage industries and services;

- Content 2: Planning the development of socio-economic-environmental infrastructure and new residential areas and embellishment of existing residential areas in communes.

1.3. Assignment of management and implementation:

- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in, guiding Content 1 "Planning the use of land and essential infrastructure for developing the commodity agricultural production, industries, small and cottage industries and services";

- The Ministry of Construction shall guide Content 2 "Planning the development of socio-economic-environmental infrastructure and new residential areas and embellishment of existing residential areas in communes";

- People's Committees of provinces, centrally run cities, rural districts and towns shall guide the review, supplementation and finalization of the above two plans and directs their implementation;

- Commune People's Committees shall formulate plans, collect opinions of communities on these plans, then submit them to district People's Committees for approval, and implement such plans after they are approved.

2. Developing socio-economic infrastructure

2.1. Objective: To satisfy the requirements of criteria 2 thru 9 of the national set of new countryside criteria;

2.2. Contents:

- Content 1: To complete roads leading to offices of commune People's Committees and transport systems in communes. By 2015, 35% of communes will reach standards (communal trunk roads will be asphalted or concreted), and by 2020, 70% of communes will reach standards (village and hamlet trunk roads will basically be hard-surfaced);

- Content 2: To complete works to supply electricity for daily-life and production activities in communes. By 2015, 85% of communes will reach new countryside criteria, and by 2020, 95% of communes will reach standards;

- Content 3: To complete works for cultural and sports activities in communes. By 2015, 30% of communes will have commune and village cultural houses up to standards, and by 2020, 75% of communes will reach standards;

- Content 4: To complete healthcare works up to standards in communes. By 2015 and 2020, 50% and 75% of communes will reach standards, respectively;

- Content 5: To improve educational works up to standards in communes. By 2015, 45% of communes will satisfy new countryside criteria, and by 2020, 75% of communes will reach standards;

- Content 6: To complete commune administration offices and supporting works. By 2015, 65% of communes will satisfy new countryside criteria, and by 2020, 85% of communes will reach standards;

- Content 7: To renovate existing irrigation systems and build new ones in communes. By 2015, 45% of communes will reach standards (50% of canals of grade 3 or higher grade will be built permanent). By 2020, 77% of communes will reach standards (intra-field canals and ditches will basically be concreted under planning).

2.3. Assignment of management and implementation:

- The Ministry of Transport shall guide Content 1 "To complete roads leading to offices of commune People's Committees and transport systems in communes";

- The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall guide Content 2 "To complete works to supply electricity for daily-life and production activities in communes";

- The Ministry of Culture. Sports and Tourism shall guide Content 3 "To complete works for cultural and sports activities in communes";

- The Ministry of Health shall guide Content 4 "To complete healthcare works up to standards in communes";

-The Ministry of Education and Training shall guide Content 5 "To improve education works up to standards in communes";

- The Ministry of Home Affairs shall guide Content 6 "To complete commune offices and supporting works";

- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall guide Content 7 "To renovate existing irrigation systems and build new ones in communes";

- People's Committees of provinces, centrally run cities, rural districts and towns shall guide communes in formulating schemes based on the above contents and direct their implementation;

- Commune People's Committees shall formulate schemes and organize their implementation.

3.1. Objective: To satisfy the requirements of criteria 10 and 12 of the national set of new countryside criteria. By 2015 and 2020, 20% and 50% of communes will reach standards, respectively;

3.2. Contents:

- Content 1: To restructure the economy and agricultural production along the line of developing commodity production of high economic efficiency;

- Content 2: To enhance agricultural extension work; to step up research and application of scientific and technical advances to agricultural, forestry and fishery production;

- Content 3: To mechanize agriculture and reduce post-harvest losses in agricultural, forestry and fishery production;

- Content 4: To conserve and develop traditional craft villages under the motto "Every village has its own product" and develop trades and lines based on local advantages;

- Content 5: To step up vocational training for rural laborers, promote the introduction of industries in rural areas, create jobs and quickly restructure rural labor force.

3.3. Assignment of management and implementation:

- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall guide Contents 1 to 4;

- The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs shall guide Content 5;

- People's Committees of provinces, centrally run cities, rural districts and towns shall guide communes in formulating schemes based on the above contents and direct their implementation;

- Commune People's Committees shall formulate schemes and organize their implementation.

4.1. Objective: To satisfy the requirements of criterion 11 of the national set of new countryside criteria;

4.2. Contents:

- Content 1: To effectively implement the program on quick and sustainable poverty reduction for 62 districts with high rate of poor households (under the Government's Resolution No. 30a) according to the national set of new countryside criteria;

- Content 2: To continue implementing the national target program on poverty reduction;

- Content 3: To implement social security programs.

4.3. Assignment of management and implementation:

- The Ministry of Labor. War Invalids and Social Affairs shall guide the above contents; - People's Committees of provinces, centrally run cities, rural districts and towns shall guide communes in formulating schemes based on the above relevant contents and direct their implementation;

- Commune People's Committees shall formulate schemes and organize their implementation.

5.1. Objective: To satisfy the requirements of criterion 13 of the national set of new countryside criteria. By 2015 and 2020, 65% and 75% of communes will reach standards, respectively.

5.2. Contents:

- Content 1: To develop household, farm and cooperative economies;

- Content 2: To develop medium- and small-sized enterprises in rural areas;

- Content 3: To formulate mechanisms and policies to promote economic linkage among different economic types in rural areas.

5.3. Assignment of management and implementation:

- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall assume the prime responsibility for and guide the implementation of Contents 1 and 3;

- The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall guide Content 2;

- People's Committees of provinces, centrally run cities, rural districts and towns shall guide communes in formulating schemes based on the above contents and direct their implementation;

- Commune People's Committees shall formulate schemes based on Content 1, collect opinions of communities and submit these schemes to provincial-level People's Committees for approval, and organize the implementation of such schemes after they are approved.

6.1. Objective: To satisfy the requirements of criteria 5 and 14 of the national set of new countryside criteria. By 2015 and 2020, 45% and 80% of communes will reach standards, respectively:

6.2. Contents: To continue implementing the national target program on education and training to satisfy the requirements of the national set of new countryside criteria;

6.3. Assignment of management and implementation:

- The Ministry of Education and Training shall assume the prime responsibility for and guide the implementation of the above contents;

- People's Committees of provinces, centrally run cities, rural districts and towns shall guide communes in formulating schemes and direct their implementation;

- Commune People's Committees shall formulate schemes and organize their implementation.

7.1. Objective: To satisfy the requirements of criteria 5 and 15 of the national set of new countryside criteria. By 2015 and 2020, 50% and 75% of communes will reach standards, respectively;

7.2. Content: To continue implementing the national target program on health to satisfy the requirements of the national set of new countryside criteria.

7.3. Assignment of management and implementation:

- The Ministry of Health shall assume the prime responsibility for and guide the implementation of the above content;

- People's Committees of provinces, centrally run cities, rural districts and towns shall guide communes in formulating schemes based on the above contents and direct their implementation;

- Commune People's Committees shall formulate schemes and organize their implementation.

8.1. Objective: To satisfy the requirements of criteria 6 and 16 of the national set of new countryside criteria. By 2015 and 2020, 30% and 75% of communes will have commune or village cultural houses and 45% and 70% of communes will have post offices and Internet access points up to standards, respectively;

8.2. Contents:

- Content 1: To continue implementing the national target program on culture to satisfy the requirements of the national set of new countryside criteria;

- Content 2: To develop information and communications in rural areas to satisfy the requirements of the national set of new countryside criteria.

8.3. Assignment of management and implementation:

- The Ministry of Culture. Sports and Tourism shall assume the prime responsibility for and guide the implementation of Content 1;

- The Ministry of Information and Communications shall assume the prime responsibility for and guide the implementation of Content 2;

- People's Committees of provinces, centrally run cities, rural districts and towns shall direct rural districts and towns and guide communes in formulating schemes based on the above contents and direct their implementation;

- Commune People's Committees shall formulate schemes, collect opinions of communities on these schemes and organize their implementation.

9.1. Objective: To satisfy the requirements of criterion 17 of the national set of new countryside criteria. To adequately supply clean and hygienic daily-life water for residential areas, schools, health stations, working offices and public service zones. To satisfy the requirements on environmental protection and improvement in communes. By 2015 and 2020, 35% and 80% of communes will reach standards, respectively;

9.2. Contents:

- Content 1: To continue implementing the national target program on rural clean water and environmental sanitation;

- Content 2: To build rural environmental protection works in communes and villages under planning, such as building and upgrading water drainage systems in villages and hamlets; building garbage collection and treatment facilities in communes; embellishing cemeteries; renovating or building ecological ponds and lakes in residential areas; and planting more trees within public works.

9.3. Assignment of management and implementation:

- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall assume the prime responsibility for and guide the implementation of the above contents;

- People's Committees of provinces, centrally run cities, rural districts and towns shall guide communes in formulating projects based on the above contents and direct their implementation;

- Commune People's Committees shall formulate projects, collect opinions of communities on these projects and organize their implementation.

10.1. Objective: To satisfy the requirements of criterion 18 of the national set of new countryside criteria. By 2015 and 2020, 85% and 95% of communes will reach standards, respectively;

10.2. Contents:

- Content 1: To train cadres up to standards under regulations of the Ministry of Home Affairs to meet the requirements on building a new countryside;

- Content 2: To promulgate policies to encourage and attract trained and qualified young cadres to work in communes, especially in deep-lying, remote and extreme difficulty-hit areas, for quickly standardizing the contingent of cadres in these areas;

- Content 3: To add functions, tasks and operation mechanisms of organizations within the political system to suit the requirements on building a new countryside.

10.3. Assignment of management and implementation:

- The Ministry of Home Affairs shall assume the prime responsibility for and guide the implementation of the above contents;

- People's Committees of provinces, centrally run cities, rural districts and towns shall guide communes in formulating schemes based on relevant contents and direct their implementation;

- Commune People's Committees shall formulate schemes based on Contents 1 and 3 and organize their implementation.

11.1. Objective: To satisfy the requirements of criterion 19 of the national set of new countryside criteria. By 2015 and 2020, 85% and 95% of communes will reach standards, respectively;

11.2. Contents:

- Content 1: To issue village rules and conventions on order and security; to prevent and combat social evils and backward practices;

- Content 2: To adjust and supplement functions, tasks and policies to create conditions for commune, village and hamlet security forces to fulfill their tasks of maintaining local social security and order to meet the requirements on building a new countryside.

11.3. Assignment of management and implementation:

- The Ministry of Public Security shall assume the prime responsibility for and guide the implementation of the above contents;

- People's Committees of provinces, centrally run cities, rural districts and towns shall guide communes in formulating schemes and organize their implementation.

1. Central and local budget funds, including:

- Funds from national target programs and programs and projects providing targeted funding supports which are being and continue to be implemented in localities in subsequent years: around 23%;

- Funds for implementation of the program's contents specified at Point 3. Section IV of this Decision: around 17%.

2. Credit (including development investment credit and trade credit): around 30%;

3. Funds from enterprises, cooperatives and other economic sectors: around 20%;

4. Contributions of communities: around 10%.

- To launch, propagate and disseminate these campaigns from the central to grassroots level for people of all strata to understand and the whole political system to participate in the campaigns. To regularly update and disseminate in the mass media information on models and examples, innovations and good experience on building a new countryside for wide application;

- To launch emulation movements for building a new countryside nationwide. Building a new countryside must be a political task of all localities and concerned agencies.

To diversify sources of raised funds for implementing this program.

2.1. To incorporate funding sources of different national target programs and programs and projects providing targeted funding supports in localities, including:

- Funds from national target programs and programs and projects providing targeted funding supports which are being and continue to be implemented in rural areas in subsequent years, such as poverty reduction programs; the national program on employment; programs on rural clean water and environmental sanitation; programs on crime prevention and combat; programs on population and family planning; programs on prevention and control of social diseases, dangerous epidemics and HIV/AIDS; programs on response to climate change; programs on culture; programs on education and training; Program 135; the project to plant 5 million hectares of forests: supports for investment in commune offices, for separation and splitting-up of districts or communes and for medical examination and treatment for the poor and under-6 children; investment in building permanent schools, classrooms, canals and ditches; development of rural roads and infrastructure for aquaculture and craft villages;

- State budget supports for this program, including funds raised from government bonds (if any);

2.2. To mobilize to the utmost resources of localities (provinces, districts and communes) for implementing the program. Provincial People's Councils shall decide to retain at least 70% of proceeds from land use right auction for allocation of land with land use levy payment or lease of land in communes (after subtracting expenses) for commune budgets for materializing the contents related to building a new countryside;

2.3. To raise funds from enterprises for investment in works capable of directly retrieving capital; enterprises eligible for state development investment credit, or provinces and centrally run cities eligible for post-investment state budget supports and investment incentives under law;

2.4. Voluntary contributions of commune inhabitants for each project as approved by the commune People's Council;

2.5. Non-refundable aid of domestic and foreign enterprises, organizations and individuals for investment projects;

2.6. To effectively use credit sources:

- State investment credit allocated by the central budget for provinces and cities under programs to build permanent canals and ditches and develop rural roads and infrastructure for aquaculture and for rural craft villages, based on the list enclosed with the Government's Decree No. 106/2008/ND-CP of September 19, 2008;

- Commercial credit under the Government's Decree No. 41/2010/ND-CP of April 12, 2010, on credit policies for agriculture and rural areas.

2.7. To mobilize other lawful financial sources.

- Central budget supports will be wholly allocated for planning; building roads leading to commune centers; building commune offices, health stations and cultural houses; building standard schools; training in knowledge about building a new countryside for cadres of communes, villages, hamlets and cooperatives;

- Central budget supports will be partially allocated for building daily-life water supply and wastewater drainage works in residential areas, roads in villages and hamlets; intra-field transport, canals and ditches; developing production and services; building village and hamlet cultural houses and sports facilities, and infrastructure of consolidated production zones and for small and cottage industries and fishery activities;

- The levels of central budget supports shall be based on socio-economic conditions in compliance with the Resolution of the 7"' plenum of the Party Central Committee of the Xth Congress, on agriculture, farmers and rural areas. Priority will be given to difficulty-hit localities which cannot balance their budgets themselves, extreme difficulty-hit localities and localities with good performance.

- Commune management boards for building a new countryside set up under decisions of commune People's Committees shall act as investors of projects to build commune infrastructure facilities. For works involving hi-tech requirements and professional qualifications which the commune management boards are incapable of acting and do not undertake to act as investors, district People's Committees shall assign capable units to act as investors with the participation of commune People's Committees;

- For investment projects to build commune, village and hamlet infrastructure facilities which are to be implemented for less than 2 years or are capitalized at VND 3 billion at most, only economic-technical reports are required, indicating the name of work, investment objectives, construction location, technical size of work, construction duration, completion, time, capital sources and capital raising mechanisms, enclosed with designs, working drawings and cost estimates;

For works capitalized at over VND 3 billion or works involving hi-tech requirements, consultancy units with the legal entity status shall formulate economic-technical reports, designs and working drawings and make cost estimates. Consultancy units shall be selected under current regulations.

In the course of investment preparation, it is necessary to collect communities' opinions on economic-technical reports, designs, working drawings and cost estimates of infrastructure facilities.

- District People's Committees shall act as investment deciders and approve economic-technical reports of works capitalized at over VND 3 billion of state budget origin and works involving hi-tech requirements;

- Commune People's Committees shall act as investment deciders and approve economic-technical reports of works capitalized at VND 3 billion at most of state budget origin;

- Selection of contractors: Contractors to build infrastructure in communes shall be selected in the following 3 forms:

- Assigning village or hamlet communities (that will directly benefit from the program) to build works themselves;

- Selecting groups of constructors or capable individuals in communes for building works;

- Selecting contractors through bidding (under current regulations).

The first form of contractor selection listed above is encouraged for application.

- A people-elected community supervision board, which is composed of representatives of the commune People's Council and Fatherland Front Committee, social organizations and communities benefiting from works, shall supervise commune infrastructure facilities under current regulations on community investment supervision.

To build a contingent of full-time implementers from the central to local level for effective program implementation and. at the same time, organize training courses for officials engaged in new countryside building from the central to local levels.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with concerned ministries and branches and provincial-level People's Committees in, elaborating and promulgating training contents and materials and organizing training for officials engaged in new countryside building.

- To mobilize and cooperate with international organizations to provide consultancy and technical assistance for the program;

- To seek capital and loans from international financial institutions and development partners in order to increase resources for building a new countryside.

- To set up the Central Steering Committee for directing the program implementation, which is composed of its head being a standing Deputy Prime Minister, its standing deputy head being the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, and members being heads of concerned ministries, branches and mass organizations;

- To set up Steering Committees at all local levels for directing the program implementation in localities;

- To set up the Program Coordination Office based at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for assisting the Central Steering Committee. In provinces and centrally run cities, to assign provincial-level Agriculture and Rural Development Departments to act as standing bodies that will coordinate and assist provincial-level Steering Committees for the program implementation in localities.

- Ministries and branches assigned to implement the program's contents (specified in Section IV) shall formulate mechanisms and policies; guide the formulation of schemes and projects for implementing such contents to meet the requirements of the national set of new countryside criteria; and concurrently urge, inspect and direct their implementation at the grassroots level.

- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, which is the program's standing body, shall:

+ To assist the Central Steering Committee in directing the program implementation: assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with concerned ministries and branches in. elaborating 5-year and annual plans on the objectives, tasks, solutions and funding needs for the program implementation, then send them to the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance for summarization and reporting to the Government;

+ To urge, inspect and supervise the program implementation by ministries, branches, central agencies and provinces and centrally run cities, and summarize and report thereon to the Central Steering Committee and the Government.

- The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and concerned ministries and branches in. balancing and allocating resources of central budget capital for the program; and coordinate with concerned ministries and branches in formulating mechanisms and policies for managing the program implementation.

- The Ministry of Finance shall assume the prime responsibility for. and coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in. allocating state budget capital for each specific task to the program-implementing ministries, branches and localities under the State Budget Law; and guide financial mechanisms suitable to the program's schemes and projects; supervise spending; summarize the finalization of the program's funds; and guide mechanisms for incorporating different funding sources.

- The Ministry of Construction shall guide and assist localities in completing master plans in communes based on new countryside criteria;

- The State Bank of Vietnam shall direct and inspect the implementation of credit policies by banks participating in the program implementation;

- Mass media agencies shall conduct public information work to meet the program's requirements.

- To organize the implementation of the program in localities;

- To assign and decentralize responsibilities to each level and departments and branches of the same level to organize the program implementation on the principle of enhancing decentralization to and upholding the sense of responsibility of the grassroots level;

- To direct the effective incorporation of programs and projects in localities; regularly inspect and supervise the management of the program implementation and make annual reports.

3. To mobilize the participation of mass organizations: The Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and its member organizations shall actively participate in implementing the program; continue responding to the campaign "All people unite to build a cultured life in residential areas." and add new contents to suit the program.

Long.Giang
Source: www.mpi.gov.vn