DECISION

APPROVING THE MASTER PLAN ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF TIEN GIANG PROVINCE TILL 2020

THE PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the December 25, 2001 Law on Organization of the Government;
Pursuant to the Government's Decree No.92/ 2006/ND-CP of September 7, 2006, and Decree No.04/2008/ND-CP of January 11, 2008, on the formulation, approval and management of socioeconomic development master plans;
At the proposal of the People's Committee of Tien Giang province in Report No. 112 of September 3, 2008, on the master plan on socio-economic development of Tien Giang province till 2020,

DECIDES:

Article 1. To approve the master plan on socio-economic development of Tien Giang province till 2020, with the following principal contents:

I. DEVELOPMENT VIEWPOINTS

1. The master plan on socio-economic development of Tien Giang province till 2020 must he in line with the national strategy on socio-economic development and the master plan on socio-economic development of the Mekong River delta region.

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3. To mobilize all resources for socio-economic development, expand and raise the efficiency of external economic ties, attract to the utmost foreign resources, especially capital, technologies and skilled laborers, realize investment incentive policies in a consistent and long-term manner, expand export outlets and raise the competitiveness of commodities and services.

4. To ensure economic development in a fast and sustainable manner, meeting the international economic integration requirements; to harmonize socio-economic development with environmental protection, improve and incrementally raise the people's living standards.

5. To focus on raising the quality of human resources, attaching importance to the promotion of human factors, raising educational and training capacity and people's intellectual levels in association with scientific and technological development, considering this decisive to industrialization and modernization.

6. Economic development must be associated with the maintenance of political stability, social order and safety and the raising of people's intellectual levels; strengthening defense and security; consolidating and raising the operation quality of the political system and building the administration strong.

II. DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES

1. General objectives:

To develop economy at high rates and in a sustainable manner, speed up the investment in building infrastructure, raise the competitiveness of local commodities and services and strive for an industry-service-agriculture economic structure by 2015; to build Tien Giang into a province with developed socio-economic activity by 2020, positively contributing to the development of the Mekong River delta region and the whole country; to raise the people's living standards, protect the ecological environment and maintain defense and security.

2. Specific objectives:

a/ Economic objectives:

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- The average per-capita GDP will reach US I) 1,025-1,080 (real prices) by 2010 and around USD 4,050 by 2020;

- The economy will be restructured towards raising the proportions of non-agricultural sectors. By 2010. the industry-construction proportion will reach 33%- 34%; the trade-service proportion, 32%-33% and the agriculture -forestry-fishery proportion will be reduced to 33%-35% of GDP; by 2020, the industry-construction proportion will be 48.5%, the trade-service proportion, 36.5% and the agriculture-forestry-fishery proportion, 15%.

- To expand and raise the effectiveness of foreign trade. To create every condition for quick export growth and attraction of foreign capital and technologies. To strive for an export value of over USD 400 million by 2010 and over USD 1.8 billion by 2020; an average export value growth rate of 17%/year in the 2006- 2010 period and 16.2%/ year in the 2011-2020 period; and the average per-capita export value of over USD 900 by 2020.

- The average technological renewal rate will reach 20-25%/year.

The annual mobilized social investment capital will account for over 40% of GDP b/ Social objectives:

- The average annual population growth rate in the 2006-2020 period will be under 1%, reducing the average annual birth rate by 0.03%. To try to stabilize and step by step reduce the urban unemployment rate to below 4% from 2010 and raise the percentage of used working time in rural areas to around 85%' by 2010 and over 90% by 2020. To adopt appropriate mechanisms and policies to further attract capital sources, diversify forms of investment and annually create new jobs for over 20.0(H) laborers (2006-2010) and over 40.000 laborers (2011-2020). To raise the percentage of trained laborers to 40% by 2010 and around 51 % by 2020. To reduce the poverty rate (according to new poverty line) to around 10% by 2010 and under 6% by 2020;

- To strive for the targets that by 2010, the rates of school goers among children of eligible age groups for different educational levels will be over 15% for nursery; over 70% for preschool education; 100% for primary education; 99% for lower secondary education; 62% for upper secondary education; and 0% for illiteracy; which will, by 2020 rise to 50% for nursery; 99% for preschool education; 100% for primary education; 99% for lower secondary education; and over 75% for upper secondary education;

- By 2010, 99.5% of households will have electricity; 100% of communes will have roads leading to commune centers, of which 85% will be asphalted or concreted. By 2020, 100% of households will have electricity and 100% of roads leading to commune centers will be asphalted or concreted;

- The urbanization rate will reach 26% by 2010 and over 37% by 2020.

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- To firmly maintain security, political stability, social order and safety in all circumstances.

c/ Environmental objectives:

- To increase the coverage (of forests and perennial trees) to 40-41.5% by 2020.

- To strive for the targets that by 2010, 100% of newly built production establishments will be equipped with clean technologies or facilities to minimize pollution and treat wastes up to environmental standards; 40%; of urban centers and residential quarters and 70% of industrial parks and complexes will have wastewater treatment systems up to environmental standards; 80- 90% of solid wastes will be collected and treated, 100% of hazardous wastes will be collected and over 60%' of which will be treated, 100% of medical wastes will be collected and treated; 70% of households will have hygienic latrines and breeding facilities; over 88% of rural households and over 95% of urban households will have access to clean water;

- By 2020, l00% of newly built production establishments will be equipped with clean technologies; 70% of urban centers and 1(X)% of industrial parks and hi-tech parks will have wastewater treatment systems up to environmental standards; over 95% of solid wastes will be collected and treated up to environmental standards; over 80% of hazardous wastes will be treated; 70% of urban centers will have separate water drainage systems up to standards; over 95% of rural population will have access to clean water and over 80% of rural households will have hygienic latrines and breeding facilities.

III. ORIENTATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF SECTORS AND DOMAINS

1. Development of agriculture, forestry and fishery:

To comprehensively develop agriculture and rural areas towards commodity production. Production development will be associated with protection of the ecological environment to ensure sustainable agricultural development.

To accelerate agricultural and rural industrialization and modernization towards intensive and specialized farming, application of bio-technology, use of plant varieties and animal breeds of high yield and high quality, aiming to meet the market demands and increase per-farming area unit incomes.

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To invest in preserving around 60,000 ha of rice in order to firmly ensure food security and export. To form specialized fanning zones suitable to the province's potential and comparative edges in such products as fruits, clean vegetables.... for supply to southern key economic regions. To develop husbandry towards industrialization lor higher productivity and quality products and environmental protection.

To develop forestry along the line of zoning off for nurture and protection coastal mangrove forests, primeval cajuput forests in Tan Phuoc, combining the planting of scattered trees along roads, canals and in households' land areas with the development of perennial tree gardens of high economic, ecological and environmental values, contributing to increasing the province's botanical canopy to 40-41.5%.

To develop aquaculture towards planning aquaculture areas for intensive farming with higher productivity and diversified farmed species, closely combining rearing, preservation and processing with environmental protection, attaching importance to aquatic species of high domestic consumption and export value such as fishes, shrimps, clam, caged fishes, oyster, crabs... on Tien river, islets, coastal stretches. To minimize onshore fishing to protect resources while stepping up offshore fishing in the direction of reorganizating production, raising fishing capacity and modernizing offshore fishing fleets.

To upgrade and build breeding centers in the province in association with production centers of southern economic regions and the Mekong River delta region. To build storm shelter areas for fishing ships; to upgrade and build clusters of fish ports and aquatic product wholesale markets in association with the development of fishery logistical services.

To further invest in and complete the flood drainage axes from the north of highway 1, projects on desalinization of Go Cong, upgrading of sea dykes in Go Cong, Cho Gao canal dykes, fruit-garden flood control systems in association with the Hood control systems of the province and the Mekong River delta region.

To increase investment in the construction of rural socio-economic infrastructure systems in association with programs on investment in the construction of residential clusters and houses in the flooded Mekong River delta areas, contributing to stabilizing people's life and boosting socio-economic development in the agricultural sector and rural areas.

To strive for an average added value of the whole agriculture-forestry-fishery sector of over 4%/year in the 2006-2020 period; the average growth rates of 4.3%/year for agriculture and forestry, and 6%/year for fishery in the 2006-2010 period; the husbandry proportion of over 32% of the added value of the agricultural sector and the fishery proportion of over 21 % of the added value of the agriculture- forestry-fishery sector by 2020.

2. Development of industries, handicrafts and collage industries:

To create a favorable investment environment, further attracting investment in the development of industries towards diversification of products and hi-tech industries while attaching importance to sectors and domains with the province's advantages in potential and geo-economic positions such as processing industry, bio-technology, mechanical engineering industry serving agriculture and rural areas, shipbuilding industry and industries in support of the southern key economic region and the Mekong River delta region.

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To concentrate investment in the fast development of approved industrial parks and complexes while consolidating and raising the efficiency of existing ones in the locality. By 2020, the province will have 7- 8 industrial parks and some 30 local industrial complexes, which will occupy a total area of around 8.758 ha.

Investment in the construction of industrial complexes and factories must be closely associated with the construction of waste treatment facilities and tree planting, ensuring a green, clean and beautiful environment of industrial parks and complexes.

To strive for the targets that the industrial production value in the 2006-2010 period will rise over 27%/year on average and jobs will be created for about 130,000 laborers; and in the 2011-2020 period, the industrial production value will rise over 18%/year on average and jobs will be created for more than 320,000 laborers, thus creating a substantive change in the economic structure towards a higher industrial proportion.

3. Trade-service development:

To develop domestic markets, expanding trade with Ho Chi Minh city and provinces in the southern key economic region and the Mekong River delta region in association with the development of trade networks participated by various economic sectors. To reorganize the retail network, prioritizing the development of modem retail systems and planning urban locations with commercial advantage for construction and development of trade and service zones in My Tho city, and Go Cong, Cai Lay and Cai Be towns; to form residential-urban- trade- scientific- technical, medical, education-training, finance-banking service and resort zones in northern Go Cong, southeastern Tan Phuoc, Trung Luong (My Tho)..., consolidating and further developing systems of existing agricultural and aquatic product wholesale markets in the province, creating a link between the southern key economic region and the Mekong River delta region.

To focus on boosting trade promotion, expanding overseas markets and creating conditions for the development of production and export of leading commodities, products manufactured in industrial parks and products processed from rice, aquatic products and fruits.

To develop ecotourism and sea and island tourism, associating the development of domestic tourism with international tourism, diversifying tourist forms and products. To attract investment in the construction of general entertainment and recreation zones, resorts and sites with great tourist potential such as islets on Tien river, the submerged and rural region of Dong Thap Muoi (the Plain of Reeds), prioritizing investment in the development of Thoi Son islet into a community tourist and eco-tourist location of the greater Mekong River basin sub-region. Tan Thanh beach, orchards, and cultural and historical relics.

To develop services with high added value and strong effect on boosting production and other services, such as transport, telecommunications and information technology, scientific and technological, consulting, financial, banking, insurance, training, medical, physical training and sport services.

To strive for the target that the added value of the service sector will account for about 32% of GDP by 2010 and 36.5% by 2020; the average growth rate will reach 13.8%/year in the 2006-2010 period and about 13.6%/year in the 2011-2020 period; the total export value will reach USD 1.47 billion in the 2006-2010 period, an average increase of 17%/year; and around USD 9-10 billion in the 2011-2020 period, including USD 1.8 billion in 2020, an average increase of 16.2%/ year; the number of tourist arrivals will be 2 million, including over 1 million of international arrivals.

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To concentrate on the implementation of national programs on population and family planning, education and training, employment, hunger elimination and poverty reduction..., constantly raise of people's living standards in food, clothing, lodging, travel, schooling, medical examination and treatment and cultural enjoyment. To try to reduce the annual birth rate by 0.03% on average. The population will reach 1,785,000 by 2010 and 1,967,000 by 2020.

To vigorously transfer agricultural labor to the industrial and service sectors for a projected agricultural labor proportion of only 28% of total laborers working in various economic branches. To raise the percentage of trained laborers to 40% by 2010 and 51 % by 2020; to reduce the poverty rate (by the new poverty line) to around 10% by 2010 and below 6% by 2020. To well implement policies towards people with meritorious services to the nation.

a/ Education and training:

To attach importance to human resource development, both quantitative and qualitative. To develop education comprehensively from preschool to primary, lower secondary and upper secondary levels. To further invest in building permanent schools and supplying standard teaching equipment. To attach importance to the development of preschool education in deep-lying and far-flung communes. To strive for the targets that by 2010, the rate of school goers among children of eligible age groups for different educational levels will be 15% for nursery, over 70% for preschool, 100% for primary, 99% for lower secondary and 62%; for upper secondary education; which will, by 2020. correspond to 50%, 99%, 100%, over 99% and over 75%.

To rationally develop the professional secondary, vocational and tertiary education systems according to the planning on networks of universities, colleges and professional secondary schools in the province. To concentrate investment in the improvement of the medical college and Tien Giang university, the construction of an econo-technical college and in the upgrading and development of vocational training schools of the province, which will fully meet the conditions on modern technical equipment and lecturing staffs, raising training quality and efficiency. At the same time, to materialize the guiding principle on socializing training activities with various economic sectors encouraged to invest in material foundations and human resource development, especially highly skilled laborers and technicians, even through international cooperation, meeting the socio-economic development requirements and demands of industrial parks in the locality and the region.

b/ Healthcare

To comprehensively develop a synchronous healthcare network from the provincial to grassroots levels, fully implementing the State's healthcare programs and policies. To constantly raise the quality of community healthcare services and properly implement primary healthcare for people. To consolidate and develop the prophylactic medicine system.

To further invest in the comprehensive development of the healthcare sector in material foundations, equipment and human resources. To step by step modernize diagnosing and treatment equipment for provincial and district hospitals up to national and international standards. To invest in building the provincial central general hospital into a regional one, while building new specialized and district hospitals according to the sector development planning. To step up the socialization of medical activities. To encourage investment in a number of non-public hospitals and specialized medical diagnosis centers, aiming to satisfy the increasing demands of people in the province and the region.

To strive for the 2020 target of below 10% of malnourished under-five children; 8 medical doctors/10.000 inhabitants; 100% of health stations staffed with medical doctors as at present; 29 hospital beds/10.(XK) inhabitants; 99% of under-one infants vaccinated against six common diseases.

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To consolidate and develop libraries at all levels in urban and rural areas. To raise the quality of radio and television programs. To develop and consolidate conservation and museum activities with a view to preserving, promoting and developing the values of cultural heritages and historical relies and the national identity. To attach importance to building material foundations for the culture-information, physical training and sport sectors and other social domains, especially basic facilities under the branch's planning on systems of culture-information institutions and fundamental facilities of the physical training and sport sector. To step up socialization of cultural, physical training and sports activities.

To strive for the 2010 target: 95% of households will meet the cultured lifestyle family standards; 100% of communes and wards will have their own locations for cultural activities and reading rooms; 100% of households will have radio sets and watch television; 80-90% of schools will include physical and sport training into their curricula; 18% of population will participate in regular physical training and sport activities: and 60-80% of communes will have their own footfall fields.

d/ Science and technology:

To step up scientific and technological research and application to socio-economic activities towards industrialization and modernization in association with the training and development of high-level technicians and science workers.

5. Technical infrastructure:

The province will take the initiative in coordinating with ministries and central branches in speeding up the investment in the construction of Ho Chi Minh-Trung Luong-Can Tho expressway, national highways 60 and 50. including the construction of My Loi bridge (to replace existing ferries) and Cho Gao bridge: support the comprehensive upgrading of the Tien Giang (provincial road 865 )-Long An (village road 28)-Dong Thap (provincial road 847) inter-provincial route. To study for the construction of Ho Chi Minh City-My Tho-Can Tho railroad at an appropriate time.

To upgrade Tien and Soai Rap estuary channels, aiming to open channels for large ships, while improving, upgrading and building river ports, including My Tho port, and a port and shipyard complex at Soai Rap estuary; to upgrade the economic-traffic canals of Cho Gao and Thap Muoi 2 (Nguyen Van Tiep canal).

To comprehensively improve and upgrade the systems of roads and bridges in the province, giving priority to roads leading to industrial parks and complexes, feeder roads connecting with national highways and expressways. To strive for the 2010 target that the surface of 100% of roads will be hardened; 100% of communes will have roads leading to their centers and 85% of roads will be asphalted or concreted. To complete the systems of cargo wharves and yards, boat landings for districts, intensively investing in and upgrading My Tho port into a regional port with a cargo-handling capacity of over 500.000 tons/year, which can receive ships of 3,000 to 5,000 DWT.

To upgrade and develop a synchronous and modern post and telecommunications system, information technology; power supply systems; water supply and drainage systems, especially clean-water supply systems for 4 eastern districts and wastewater treatment systems for urban centers and industrial parks.

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By 2015, 100% of the province's households will be supplied with electricity, of which 99% will directly buy electricity from the electricity service; commercial electricity will reach 1,266 kWh/person.

6. Defense-security, social order and safety:

To raise the quality and quantity of regular army toward modernization. To apply measures to manage and build up the reserve forces, develop militia and self-defense forces for general and regional defense tasks. To attach importance to building the marine self-defense force.

To build the people's police forces, which are professionally crack and politically steadfast, to combat the peaceful evolution. To build strong grassroots forces, step up the people's self-management movement with high quality to cope with all circumstances. To enhance the combination between socio-economic development and defense and security maintenance in each sector and domain right at the stage of planning the development of economic zones and technical infrastructure.

7. Environmental protection:

Economic growth must be combined with social development and environmental protection, ensuring sustainability, limiting pollution. redressing environmental degeneration and improving environmental quality; to substantively settle the problem of environmental degeneration in industrial parks, densely populated quarters in big cities and some rural areas; to treat environmental pollution on rivers, lakes, ponds and canals. To raise the capacity to prevent, avoid and restrict the adverse impacts of natural disasters and climate change unfavorable to the environment; to rescue and efficiently redress environmental incidents caused by natural disasters. To rationally exploit and use natural resources and preserve bio-diversity. To meet the environmental requirements in international economic integration, restricting the adverse impacts of globalization on the domestic environment in order to boost economic growth, raise the quality of people's life and ensure sustainable national development. To build a strong environment management machinery and socialize environmental protection work.

IV. SPATIAL AND TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT ORIENTATIONS

1. Land use orientations:

To economically and efficiently use land resources, develop the economy towards commodity production of high efficiency and sustainable eco-environment development. In addition to the rational arrangement of land for agricultural production, to ensure food safety; to step up export and production of raw materials for the processing industry.

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- By 2010, total agricultural land area will be 190,400 ha, accounting for 76.7% of the natural land area, which, by 2020, will be 182,000 ha and 73.7%.

- By 2010, total non-agricultural land area will be 51,920 ha, accounting for 20.9% of the natural land area, which, by 2020, will be 62,800 ha and 25.3%.

- By 2010, land unused land area will be around 5,850 ha, accounting for 2.4% of the natural land area, which, by 2020. will be 2,590 ha and 1%.

2. Orientations for development of urban centers and rural residential quarters:

To concentrate on upgrading and development of My Tho city, Go Cong town and Cai Lay township into socio-economic development motive centers of the region and sub-regions; at the same time, to develop townships, residential quarters and new potential urban centers in association with the development of industrial complexes and the urban expansion of Ho Chi Minh city via the economic corridors of national highway 1, national highway 50, expressways and railroads.

To strive for the target that by 2020, the province's urban network will embrace My Tho city, a grade-I urban center; Go Cong town, a grade-Ill urban center; Cai Lay township, a grade-IV urban center (by 2010) and grade-Ill urban center (by 2020); Cai Be and Tan Hiep township-, grade-IV urban centers; and the remaining townships being grade-V urban centers; the urbanization rate will reach 26% by 20K land 37% by 2020.

To further invest in the development of sock -economic infrastructure for the new district of Tan Phu Dong, aiming to facilitate socio-economic development of estuary islet communes, in association with the maintenance of security and defense in coastal areas.

To further plan and invest in the construction of townships, commune centers and rural residential quarters, especially residential and housing clusters in flooded areas, contributing to raising the quality of life, hunger elimination and poverty reduction and eco-environment protection in the agricultural and rural sector towards sustainable development.

3. Division of economic regions:

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- Region II, which lies to the west of the province, comprising the districts of Cai Be, Cai Lay and Tan Phuoc, with a natural land area of 119,030 ha and a population accounting for 39.3% of the province's population and an average density of 561 persons/km2. To accelerate economic restructuring in the direction of trade-service-agriculture- industry, strongly developing trade and services; to build hi-tech farming models; to form industrial parks and complexes in association with the formation of specialized-farming, large-scale commodity production zones;

- Region III, which lies in the heart of the province, comprising My Tho city and Chau Thanh district, with a natural land area of 30,436 ha, a population accounting for 25.1% of the province's population, and an average density of 1.401 people/km; to further promote its leading and core role in local economic growth, supporting and boosting the development of all three regions. To synchronously develop industries and services to train and develop human resources. To take the lead in socio-economic development and take the initiative in economically integrating and cooperating with the southern key economic-region, the urban areas of Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong river delta region.

V. DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS PRIORITIZED FOR INVESTMENT STUDY (See enclose appendix)

VI. MAJOR SOLUTIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE MASTER PLAN

1. Capital mobilization:

The total development investment capital demand is estimated at around VND 422 trillion (about USD 20-22 billion) in the 2006-2020 period, accounting for some 43.4% of GDP, which includes VND 43.7 billion in the 2006-2010 period, accounting for 40.1% of GDP.

The capital sources will come from local budget, central budget, investment credit, accumulated investment capital of people and domestic and foreign enterprises.

In order to meet the investment capital demand, the province should formulate a system of solutions for active capital mobilization, principally bringing into full play its internal resources. It should create a favorable investment environment with best conditions to attract development investment from various economic-sectors; and at the same time, diversify forms of capital mobilization for development investment, stepping up investment promotion and attracting various sources of foreign investment capital (FDI, ODA. NGO. capital of overseas Vietnamese...).

To prioritize the mobilization and use of capital sources from land funds for development of urban centers and industrial infrastructure.

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2. Market development and higher international integration capability

To strongly improve the investment environment for production and business development through synchronous solutions to production, processing and sale of a number of key products with competitiveness or conditions for higher competitiveness. Enterprises shall ensure that their quality products can compete in the context of integration and substitute imports.

To further renew and raise the operation efficiency of state enterprises and equitized enterprises, to encourage the development of household economy, family farm economy, especially cooperative economy.

To actively develop the domestic markets, consolidating and efficiently developing the operation of trade centers and wholesale markets in the province: to disseminate in time economic information, particularly information on mechanisms, and policies facilitating the socio-economic activities of all economic sectors.

To formulate an export-oriented investment strategy, concentrating on the maintenance and development of existing markets while probing and expanding new markets. To create conditions for enterprises to participate in trade lairs and exhibitions at home and abroad to display their products and step up advertisement and sales promotion.

To expand comprehensive development cooperation between Tien Giang and provinces in the region, especially Ho Chi Minh city, with a view to boosting economic, scientific and technological development, human resource training and raising the international economic integration capability.

3. Environmental protection:

To step up propagation and education to raise the sense and responsibility for environmental protection.

To enhance measures to ward off and restrict adverse impacts on the environment; to control and resolutely redress environmental pollution and degeneration; to protect and rationally and efficiently exploit natural resources.

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To enhance domestic and international cooperation in environmental protection and raise the capacity of scientific and technological research and application to environmental protection.

To enhance the state management of, and institutions as well as the law on. environmental protection, especially in the formulation, appraisal, approval and implementation of plannings plans, programs and investment projects, and strictly handle violations.

To step up planning work and well implement national programs and action plans on environmental protection.

4. Human resource development:

To build more and expand schools and training establishments with modem equipment; to intensify cooperation and coordination with training establishments of Ho Chi Minh city, central branches and other localities in order to qualitatively and quantitatively develop the contingents of cadres and skilled laborers.

To expand cooperation with modernly equipped universities, research institutes and training establishments within and outside the province for training the contingents of science workers, technicians and skilled laborers. To encourage enterprises having labor demands to align through capital contribution and equipment supply with universities and training establishments in training, supplying and employing human resources in the most efficient manner.

To step up professional training, diversify forms of vocational training, adopt incentive policies for agricultural labor to shift to other occupations; to provide preferential treatment and working conditions, aiming to attract scientists, technicians and managers to the province. To organize training and re-training of managerial cadres and business administrators who satisfy the requirements of international economic integration.

5. Scientific and technological development:

To renew scientific and technological activities, intensifying the popularization of scientific and technical information, economic and market information; to step up the application and transfer of scientific and technical advances, creating notable improvements in the application of scientific and technological achievements, especially in the fields of information technology, biotechnology and materials technology. To align with institutes, schools, centers and scientists at home and abroad in carrying out scientific schemes and projects. To highten the role of the Union of Scientific Associations and study mechanisms to encourage the establishment and efficient operation of the Fund for Scientific and Technological Development in the province.

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To step up administrative reform with further and stronger decentralization, aiming to raise the effect of state management and law enforcement; to further implement regulations on democracy, publicity and transparency related to information on state management for joint supervision and implementation by people.

7. Enhancement of development cooperation:

To enter into development cooperation and alignment with regional provinces, ensuring the planned investment to bring into full play the province's economic potential; to step up cooperation with localities at home and abroad; to prioritize the cooperation on high technologies inaccessible to Tien Giang.

8. Organization of implementation

Based on the approved master plan for socio-economic development, Tien Giang province People's Committee shall concentrate on directing branches and administrations at all levels to formulate long-term, five-year and annual plans in conformity with the province's development orientations; and elaborate action programs and development programs in each period under the orientations of the master plan on socio-economic development of Tien Giang province till 2020.

In the course of implementation, Tien Giang province People's Committee shall regularly direct the review of targets and plans for assessment of the implementation and promptly propose the Prime Minister to consider and decide on the adjustment and supplementation of the master plan to suit the socio-economic development situation and requirement in each period.

It shall promulgate and publicize the master plan in order to attract the participation of people and domestic and foreign investors; coordinate with ministries, central branches and other provinces in the implementation of development programs and cooperation for common development.

Article 2.

a/ This master plan serves as guidelines and basis for the formulation, submission to competent bodies for approval, and implementation of specialized plans and investment projects in the province according to regulations;

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Plans on socio-economic development of districts, towns, a plan on development of urban systems and residential quarters, construction planning, land use planning and plans, branch and domain development plans in order to ensure the overall and synchronous development;

Mechanisms and policies to be promulgated according to its competence or submitted to competent state agencies for promulgation, which meet the development requirements of the province and comply with the state law in each period, aiming to attract and mobilize resources for realization of the master plan;

Long-term, medium-term and short-term plans, key development programs and specific projects for concentrated or phased investment in a rational order.

Article 3. Concerned ministries and branches, within the ambit of their respective functions, tasks and powers, shall:

- Guide and assist Tien Giang province People's Committee in the formulation of the above-said plannings and plans; promulgate according to their competence or submit lo competent state agencies for promulgate mechanisms and policies in response to the province's socio-economic development requirements in order to mobilize and efficiently use resources, and encourage and attract investment, contributing to the materialization of the socio-economic development objectives, tasks and orientations of the province;

- Consider the adjustments and supplements to branch development plannings, plans for investment in related works and projects; speed up the investment in, and implementation of, regional projects important to the province's development, which fall under their respective charge, for use as bases for the province to implement this master plan.

Article 4. This Decision takes effect 45 days after its signing for promulgation.

Article 5. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies and the president of Tien Giang province People's Committee shall implement this Decision.-

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APPENDIX

LIST OF PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS PRIORITIZED FOR DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENT STUDY IN THE 2006-2020 PERIOD
(Attached to the Prime Minister's Decision No. 17/2009/QD-TTg of January 22. 2009)

A. DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

- Development of rice economy;

- Development of horticulture economy;

- Development of husbandry;

- Development of fishery economy;

- Development of processing industry;

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- Scientific and technological development;

- Hunger elimination and poverty reduction and realization of social policies;

- Education and training of human resources;

- Development of urban and rural infrastructure;

- Environment management and protection.

B. PROJECTS WITH DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENT PRIORITY

I. CENTRALLY INVESTED PROJECTS IN THE LOCALITY:

- Construction of national highway 50. including My Loi and Cho Gao bridges;

- Construction of Trung Luong- Can Tho expressway;

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- Construction of Soai Rap- Go Cong port;

- Consolidation of Go Cong sea dykes and restoration of coastal protection forests;

- Embankment of Tien river and Cho Gao canal;

- Handling, prevention and Fighting of land slides along Tien riverbank in Can Tho city and its vicinities;

- Construction of housing and residential clusters in flooded areas of Tien Giang.

II. PROVINCIALLY MANAGED AND INVESTED PROJECTS:

1. Agriculture, forestry and fishery:

- Building of high-quality rice-growing zones;

- Building of specialty fruit tree and clean vegetable-farming zones;

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- Construction of Go Cong sea dyke II;

- Upgrading of Go Cong estuary dyke II;

- Raising of the capacity of rice, fruit tree, aquatic, cattle, poultry breeding farms;

- Aquaculture infrastructure in Go Cong, Cai Lay and Cai Be areas;

- Scientific-technological transfer, agricultural, forestry and fishery promotion;

- Development of husbandry and clean vegetable farms;

- Development of agricultural service cooperatives;

- General agricultural-rural development of hamlets in Tan Phu Dong and Tan Phuoc districts;

- Building of hi-tech agriculture zones;

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- Expansion of My Tho fish port in combination with fishery logistical services;

- Building of coastal and estuary bio-diversity conservation zones;

- Building of Tan Phuoc cajuput forest biodiversity conservation zone;

- Construction of Phuoc Trung-Binh Dong auxiliary dyke;

- Construction of flood control blocks to protect fruit tree gardens in Cu Lao and southern highway 1A communes;

- Xuan Hoa-Cau Ngang canal;

- Completion of flood drainage canals north of highway I;

- Dredging of inter-regional canals in the llood-prone region. Go Cong desalinization region and Bao Dinh region;

- Upgrading of regulating sluice gates in Go Cong area;

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2. Industries

- Long Giang industrial park;

- Soai Rap ship-building industrial park:

- Petroleum service industrial park;

- Gia Thuan industrial park and Tan Phuoc seaport;

- Industrial parks in northern Go Cong;

- Construction of industrial complexes in districts, My Tho city, Go Cong town;

- Construction of infrastructure in craft villages in the province;

- Building of a shipyard;

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- Construction of factories in support of industrial development;

- Preservation and processing of agricultural products;

- Construction of aquatic product-processing plants;

- Construction of animal feed plants;

- Construction of vegetable and fruit-processing plants;

- Construction of export garment establishments:

- Construction of leather shoe-factories:

- Construction of post-coconut oil preparation-refining factories;

- Cajuput essential oil and activated charcoal processing;

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- Construction of an export meat cannery;

- Construction of an electronic product assembling factory;

- Construction of 220/110 KV and 110/15-22KV transformer stations;

- Construction and upgrading of medium-voltage transmission lines in urban and rural areas;

- Construction and upgrading of transmission lines and low-voltage transformer stations in urban and rural areas;

- Development and application of clean energy to people's daily-life activities.

3. Trade-service:

- Construction of agricultural and aquatic-product wholesale markets in the province;

- Upgrading and development of marketplace systems in the province;

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- Investment in the development of 3-4 star hotels in the province.

4. Urban and rural development:

- Upgrading and development of infrastructure in My Tho city;

- Upgrading and development of infrastructure in Go Cong town;

- Upgrading and development of infrastructures in district townships:

- Planning and construction of infrastructure in Cai Lay town;

- Planning and construction of infrastructures in new district townships;

- Planning and construction of infrastructure in the new district of Tan Phu Dong;

- Planning and construction of infrastructure in townships and commune cluster centers;

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- Planning and development of residential quarters, urban centers and trade and service centers of high grade in Trung Luong area:

- Planning and development of residential quarters, urban centers and trade and service centers of high grade in southeastern Tan Phuoc area;

- Planning and development of residential quarters, urban centers and trade and service centers of high grade in northern Go Cong area;

- Planning and development of residential quarters, urban centers and trade and service centers in My Tho city. Go Cong town and townships.

5. Transport:

- Upgrading and development of provincial bridges and roads;

- Improvement and upgrading of rural roads (district and commune roads);

- Improvement and upgrading of urban roads;

- Road- cum-sea dyke systems;

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- Systems of roads linking to industrial parks and complexes;

- Systems of bridges and ferries to islets;

- Improvement and upgrading of passenger car terminals in My Tho and districts;

- Construction of a special-use port and upgrading of My Tho port.

6. Information and communications:

- Expansion of local, mobile telephone networks, optical cable transmission networks, development of Internet service spots;

- Development of information technology infrastructure and human resources, and application;

- Information technology training center.

7. Healthcare:

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- Construction of a regional general hospital;

- Construction of specialized hospitals: Tuberculosis and lung diseases hospital; eye hospital; obstetric hospital; pediatric hospital; cardio-vascular and geriatric hospital; plastic-surgery hospital; dermatological hospital:

- Increase of equipment for district and provincial hospitals;

- Raising of the capacity of the medical college;

- Construction of private hospitals and hi-tech medical diagnosis centers.

8. Education and training:

- Construction and raising of the capacity of Tien Giang university;

- Improvement of material foundations of upper secondary schools;

- Improvement of material foundations of lower secondary schools;

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- Building of econo-technical intermediate schools;

- Building of economic, technical and technological colleges;

- Increase of equipment for vocational training and training centers.

- Construction of high-quality technical training schools and centers.

9. Culture, sports and tourism:

- Construction of a regional trade fair-exhibition center;

- Development of tourist infrastructure in islet communes on Tien river and Go Cong coastal area;

- Development of eco-tourism zones of Dong Thap Muoi submerged area- Tan Phuoc district;

- Development of tourist resorts in islet communes on Tien river and Go Cong coastal area:

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- Upgrading of the cultural center of Tien Giang province;

- Truong Dinh- Ao Dinh relic;

- Upgrading of the provincial museum:

- Vinh Trang cultural park;

- Renovation and embellishment of recognized national relics;

- District cultural centers and commune spot', for cultural activities;

- Construction of provincial and district spoils centers;

- Water sport facility;

- Construction of a radio and television technical center;

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- Raising of the capacity of physical training and sport schools;

- Restoration and development of folk culture and arts;

- Planning and construction of cemetery parks.

10. Labor, war invalids and social affairs:

- Construction and raising of the capacity of Tien Giang vocational college;

- Construction of vocational-training schools in Cai Lay and Go Cong areas;

- Construction of district vocational-training centers;

- Tien Giang social center (phase II):

- Hunger elimination and poverty reduction and employment in Tien Giang province.

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- Rural clean water supply and environmental sanitation;

- Construction of water drainage and waste treatment systems in My Tho city;

- Construction of water drainage and waste treatment systems in Go Cong provincial capital;

- Renovation and construction of water drainage and waste water treatment systems in district townships and centers;

- Construction of hygienic rural garbage landfills;

- Construction of a garbage disposal facility in Go Cong area;

- Construction of a garbage disposal facility in Cai Be area;

- Construction of a garbage disposal facility in Tan Phuoc area;

- Construction of medical waste incinerators;

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- Water supply for four eastern districts;

- Water supply for the new district of Tan Phu Dong;

- Water supply for southeastern Tan Phuoc area;

- Construction of a plant for treatment of wastewater from My Tho industrial park;

- Construction of a plant for treatment of wastewater from Tan Huong industrial park;

- Construction of a plant for treatment of wastewater from Soai Rap ship-building industrial park;

- Construction of a plant for treatment of wastewater from Long Giang industrial park;

- Construction of a plant for treatment of. and producing fertilizers from, garbage.

Note: The locations, sizes, land areas and total investments of the above-listed works and projects will be calculated, selected and specified in the stage of formulation, submission for approval of investment projects, depending on the demands and capability to balance and raise investment capital in each period.-