Kon Tum (VNA) - TheCentral Highlands province of Kon Tum should focus on developing commercialagriculture, applying high technologies, building a trademark for Ngoc Linhginseng, and speeding up administrative reform, said the top legislator.

National Assembly (NA) ChairwomanNguyen Thi Kim Ngan made the suggestion at a working session with leaders ofKon Tum province on March 18.

Kon Tum is a border province thatcovers 17.6 percent of the total area of the Central Highlands region. With apopulation of 520,000, the province is home to 30 ethnic groups.

According to Chairman of theprovincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Hoa, Kon Tum has focused on threespheres: urban infrastructure development, agriculture and administrativereform.

Ngan lauded the province’s effortsin recording 9.28 percent in GRDP growth in 2018, exceeding the set target, aswell as strong performances in budget collection and agricultural development,especially in the plantation of Ngoc Ling ginseng and high-tech agriculture.

The top lawmaker noted withpleasure that three key economic zones of the province – Ngoc Hoi, Kin Plongdistricts and Kon Tum city – attracted 39 investment projects with totalregistered capital of 508 billion VND (21.9 million USD).

However, she pointed out thatonly 17 out of 102 communes and wards have fulfilled criteria of the new-stylerural area building programme, making it difficult to reach the target of 50percent of the communes completing the criteria in 2020.

Ngan recognised Kon Tum’sendeavours to reduce 91 administrative units and 129 officials. But theprovince has still faced shortcomings in applying scientific advances inproduction, while the qualifications of human resources has failed to meetdevelopment requirements, tourism development has yet to match its potential andthe province has lacked material areas.

Kon Tum should review its targetsand future roadmap to optimize its strengths and potential, while preservingethnic minority cultures to develop tourism and reduce poverty among ethnicminority communities.

Stressing the strategic role ofKon Tum in the region’s political security, Ngan asked the province to wellimplement plans to ensure national defence, security and social order andsafety.

Kon Tum should pay greaterattention to developing friendship and partnership with Lao and Cambodianlocalities, she suggested.

The NA leader said that Kon Tumshould complete dossiers for the establishment of Mang Den town from Dak Longcommune in Kon Plong district. She also stressed the need for the urgentimplementation of measures to prevent erosion along the banks of Dak Bla River.

The same day, Ngan visited theKon Plong district, where 80 percent of its population are ethnic minoritypeople of Xe Dang, Mo Nam, Ka Dong and Hre groups, and attended the opening ofthe folk music instrument making festival.

Working with the district’sleaders, the NA leader noted that the poverty rate in the district remains high,at 32.55 percent. She advised the district to work hard to preserve culturalidentities of the ethnic groups for developing tourism.

Kon Plong should take theinitiative in attracting investment in tourism to fully tap potential of the MangDen ecotourism site, she said.

Earlier on March 17, NAChairwoman Ngan visited a number of relatives of martyrs and revolutionarycontributors, as well as the family of former NA Vice Chairwoman Y Mot.-VNA