DUC LINH DISTRICT PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE

TO STEP CONFIDENTLY INTO THE FUTURE

Many people now are bewildered by the remarkable development of Đức Linh.

In 2002, the growth rate of the district's economy was 11.23%; per capita GDP was 248 U$$/person/moth. The district contributed VND 10.428 million to the State budget revenue or 125.1 % of the target set by the province, 115.9% of the target set by the district itself, and was equal to 108.7% of that of 2001. The district's gross product output according to the current price is VND 370.318 billion. Of which. agriculture- forestry accounts for 119.648 billion or 51.75%: industry-construction: 74.798 billion or 20.20%; commerce-services: 103.872 billion or 28.055%. The district has generated 2,012 Jobs, or 100.6% of the target, and reduced the number of poor households by 189.54%. The district also gamed great achievements in building cultured hamlets and families, and civilized workplaces. It has also maintained well political security, and social safety and order. The rate of enlistment reached 100%.

These achievements are satisfactory figures and proof of the development of the district and unity of district's leaders and people. Green is the main color in the panorama of Đức Linh today. It's the color of vitality and can be seen everywhere in the district. The Đức Linh people have overcome all challenges and difficulties to reap these achievements with their own minds and hands. Difficulties are many: weather, climate, insects and the fluctuations in the price of input materials and fertilizers.

However, they are unequaled with the lack of investment in industry, handicraft and business. Many products (including agricultural products) have low quality and weak competitiveness. On the other hand, the capacity of management of authorities and sector leaders remains limited. and some old weak- nesses have not been timely solved. "Difficulty creates wisdom", the Đức Linh residents don't hesitate to see face-to-face their weaknesses and try to find a way to correct them. And besides that, the support and attention by province People's Committee and sectors and authorities of various levels a/so provide a source of inspiration and encouragement for Đức Linh people. The State has adopted new, appropriate policies, encouraging people to venture into all business sectors and promote the development of al/ socio-economic aspects.

There has been a harmony of human, natural and land factors, and Đức Linh combats all difficulties and challenging to make confident steps forward. If we compare the district's economy with a multi-color picture, with each trade represented by a patch of color, then all highlights are brilliant and sharp.

The focus of this picture is agriculture. In 2002, the total food output of the district was 71,039 tons, achieving 100.9% of the year's target and was 104.7% against the same period of 2001. The total annual crop area on average was 24,669.15 hectares, or 103.8% of the annual plan, growing rice, mulberry, sugar cane, cotton, soybean fields. The total area of perennial trees was 17,157 hectares, achieving 100.6% of the target and was equal to 104.2% the figure of the same period of 2001.

From the achievements Duc Linh has reaped in agriculture we can see that the local people are dynamic and sharp. Đức Linh also follows the trend to reorganize the p/ants and anima/ structure but in its own way. The district adopts its own project to renew the plant and animal structure for the period 2000-2005 with the focus on high-quality rice. Local farmers have tested growing short-day plants such as com, bean and vegetables with cotton and melon in winter-spring crops and promote animal husbandry in the direction of semi- industry. Along with this, they also develop strategic, long-term plants such as rubber, cashew, pepper, and fruits. In order to achieve their goals, Đức Linh people have succeed in linking a number of processes in an industrial chain: grow fruits, pepper and cashew in the soils previously used to grow only coffee and cashew in Đa Kai, Sùng Nhơn, Đức Hạnh, Tân Hà. 602.5 hectares are shifted into growing sugar cane, cross-bred com. melon and beans, yielding high productivity. The district designates the areas for growing high-quality rice in well-irrigated land in Võ Xu, Mé Pu, Nam Chính, Đức Chính, Sùng Nhơn, Đa Kai and allocates 264 hectares out of 1,700 hectares to grow sugar cane for materials. The area of wheat is expanded to 2,500 hectares on new reclaimed land, the land handed over by Biển Lạc and forestland. This is also a favorable condition for the district to request the province People's Committee to give green light to the project of building a wheat-processing factory in the district. Apart from crops, animal husbandry grows vigorously in quantity and quality of pigs and cows. Đức Linh people have also raised rabbits, chicken, productive eggs, turtle, blue-pincer shrimp, fresh- water fish in combination with growing lotus for seeds. A number of models of animal husbandry in the direction of semi-industry have been formed.

Management of land and protection of forests have been put into order and stability.

All these achievements are due to application of scientific and technology advances into plant growing and animal husbandry, restoration of irrigation systems, and the dynamism and courage of Đức Linh people.

If agriculture is the core of the district's economic panorama, industry- communication-construction are the major lines of drawing. Industrial and handicraft production is quite sustain - able in all fields. The production of rubber latex, wheat flour, and especially roof-tiles and bricks, has strong/y increased. Materials have been effectively exploited to meet the production demands of investors. Moreover, investment costs are quite low and the consumption markets have been enlarged by the people's increasing demands. In 2002, the value of industrial and handicraft production was VND 80.608 billion, reaching 106./5 percent of the designed plan and increasing by 18.4 percent in comparison with the previous year. The investment and construction capital for production establishments in the district reached VND 3.3 billion, including 27 brick kilns and some processing workshops of wheat flour, rubber latex and ice.

The construction and concretization of some bridges and dams as well as the repair and upgrading of the damaged roads have been promoted. The country- side roads have also been asphalted in four communes and townlets Đức Tài, Đức Hanh, Võ Xu and Mé Pu with the total length of 14.9 km. Besides, with some capita/ (WB2, CT135) and funds for cultivation and residential settlement as well as for flood struggle, some road routes have been repaired and upgraded. The traffic is regulated. The district's Traffic Safety Board has cooperated with the Fatherlands Front Committee and other competent agencies in convincing people to strictly abide by the Land Traffic Law and initiating the Month for Traffic Safety.

The work of budget collection has significantly changed compared with the previous year. This is resulted from the sound direction of the authority and the close cooperation among different agencies. Many effective and proper methods of budget collection were designed at the very beginning of the year. A big income increases the budget expenditure to VND 13,190 million or 112 percent of the plan. In general, through credit activities, the people have obtained loans and capital to develop production. However, the lending and debt withdrawal are still facing some difficulties; the volume of overdue and outstanding debts remain high. The work of debt inspection and withdrawal have not been considerably promoted.

The residents in Đức Linh never neglect their children's studying though they are very busy with earning living. Thus education is always a top-priority aspect. Many schools have been upgraded, the number of temporary classrooms has increased. More and more schools have been built at all educational levels. The teaching and studying quality has been raised. The illiteracy eradication and junior secondary educational generalization have been enhanced. The percentage of excellent and good pupils has rapidly increased.

Cultural and art activities have been diversified. Material foundations and devices for information and communication have been invested and modernized to serve the popularization of the Party's lines and State's policies to the people.

Greater investment has been made in health care; the treatment quality has been improved. Many national health programs have been implemented. The work of population and family planning is broadly introduced.

Administrative renovation is effectively carried out. A number of people's complaints have been settled in conformity with the existing laws and regulations, creating a big confidence among the people.

Through Đức Linh district's all- sided economic picture, one can see the locals' happiness and merriness. For the recent years, thanks to proper social policies, the people's happiness has been further multiplied. With the tradition of "drink water, remember its source", the district has always given mind to the life of families of war invalids, martyrs and those who made great contribution to the revolutionary cause. The movements to found assistance and repayment funds for the poor and disadvantageous people are strongly supported. The movement on drug and HIV/AIDS prevention and eradication is effectively popularized.

A radiant morning, at the Đức Linh District Cemetery, in a solemn atmosphere, the district's delegation of Party leaders, authorities, organizations, armed force and people commemorated the heroes who devoted their lives for the country's independence and reunification, for Đức Linh's prosperity.

The delegates proudly reported the heroes that the young generations in Đức Linh are now making great efforts to make this land more prosperous and powerful, to further promote traditions and to write more glorious pages m the district's history. They promised with the martyrs to overcome all difficulties and challenges to build and safeguard Đức Linh in particular and the country in genera./.

QUANG MINH