Party secretary praises VNA for key role in political tasks

Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Huy Rua has praised the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) for its key role in the information front, contributing greatly to the national liberation and construction.

During a visit to the State-owned news agency on June 20, Rua, who is also Head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Information and Education, said the VNA has not only disseminated the Party and State’s policies to the public but also helped encourage the people to join in patriotic emulation movements.

Congratulating VNA staff on the Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day (June 21), the Party official urged the news agency to be more creative and proactive in carrying out its political tasks in the context of new challenges and opportunities facing the countries.

In reply, VNA General Director Nguyen Quoc Uy pledged to pursue the core goal of delivering fast and accurate coverage of major events both at home and abroad in line with the Party guideline.

“VNA will fulfill its function as a ‘Bank of news and photos’ and prove itself worthy to be a major national press agency,” said the General Director.

Japan aids poverty reduction in Thanh Hoa

The Japanese government will give a technical assistance project two million USD through the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to help reduce poverty in central Thanh Hoa province.

Representatives from the Vietnamese government, the beneficial province and the ADB signed a document receiving the aid package in Hanoi on June 20.

The 4-year project aims to establish a model of community-based activities to reduce poverty and multiple it to other provinces and cities in Vietnam.

Lam Dong faces rise in illegal logging

The Central Highlands province of Lam Dong’s foresters discovered 332 cases of rough timber smuggling and illegally felling over the first five months of the year, seizing 1,300cu.m of timber and 3.4 billion VND in fines, the provincial People’s Committee reported.

The number of cases increased by 9 percent compared to the same period last year. A total of 107 ha of forest was damaged.

Dai Ninh protected forest alone registered 153 cases that destroyed a total of 90 ha of forest.

Almost 5 million EUR to safe water project in HCM City

The Netherlands Government and Vitens-Evides International BV company will provide 4.2 million EUR to a 5 million EUR safe water project in Ho Chi Minh (HCM) City.

The project will help improve capacity of water plants and the safe water supply system of the city.

The project will be carried out by the Sai Gon Water Supply Corporation (SAWACO) from June 2008 to June 2011.

In another effort to provide safe water to every people, the HCM City People’s Committee has assigned SAWACO to carry out a project to build a 49km safe water pineline from Nha Be district to Can Gio district.

The project is expected to begin in December this year and to be completed in September 2009.

Over 800 poor households given loans for economic development

The 'For Poor People' Fund of the Fatherland Front of Hanoi and all districts in the capital have over the past two years through the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies loaned 829 poor households in Hanoi VND 4.9 billion with low interest rates to improve their incomes so as to escape poverty.

In the coming time, the Fatherland Front and the Bank will continue to futher accelerate this progamme bay givne loans to poor households and social welfare beneficiaries; raise loaning level to VND 10 million a household from current VND 7 million and at the same time, extending loaning duration to 24 months from current 18 months, thus facilitating poor households to develop economy and escape poverty.

Blue ear disease occurs in Soc Trang province

Blue ear disease (porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome) has occurred in Soc Trang province.

The Veterinary Department on June 19 announced that the disease occurred In Hoa My village, My Xuyen town, My Xuyen district.

Forty seven pigs were reported to have been infected with the disease and 17 of them died.

The local veterinary service has culled the pigs and taken measures to control and prevent the disease from spreading.

So far, Thai Nguyen, Lam Dong, Vinh Long, Bac Lieu and Soc Trang provinces have yet to be free from the disease for 21 days.

Binh Phuoc province has not found the disease for 21 days.

(Source: VNA, ND)