Ninh Thuan (VNA) – Prime Minister PhamMinh Chinh on April 17 pointed out that the south-central province of NinhThuan holds great potential to grow further, especially in agriculture,forestry, aquatic products and renewable energy.

At a meeting with local officials as part of hisworking trip to Ninh Thuan, Chinh held that the province has yet to fully tapsuch advantages due to limitations in infrastructure, mechanisms and policies,as well as ways to utilise resources.

He asked the locality to continue with theimplementation of national target programmes on socio-economic development inethnic minority-inhabited and mountainous areas, sustainable poverty reduction,and new-style rural area building.

The first tasks lie with the COVID-19 fight andsocio-economic recovery and development, the leader stressed.

He urged Ninh Thuan to focus on renewable energy,luxury tourism, high-tech agriculture in combination with processing, urban andmaritime economy, the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU)fishing, culture preservation and promotion, the improvement of people’smaterial and spiritual life, and national defence-security.

Ninh Thuan should create changes in the mindset andhave strategic visions to create new momentum to grow more rapidly and sustainably,the PM noted, asking the locality to utilise all resources for development,especially land, workforce and cultural traditions.

It is a must for the province to consolidate itssocio-economic infrastructure, particularly infrastructure in transport,irrigation, seaports and information-technology, Chinh said.

Apart from improving workforce quality, Ninh Thuanshould step up administrative reform, better its investment environment andengage in digital transformation, according to the leader.

However, he stressed, economic growth should not be made at the expense of social progress, adding that economic development must go in tandem withcultural development, education, health care, environmental protection, andnational defence and security.

A day earlier, the PM made fact-finding tripsto some socio-economic and national defence establishments afterattending a ceremony marking the province's 30th re-establishment anniversary./.