Central Highlands grows despite difficulties

According to the Steering Committee for the Central Highlands Region, investment mobilisation for social development reached approximately VND74 trillion (US$3.25 billion) in 2015, a year-on-year increase of 13.17 percent, while credit activities were stepped up, contributing to production, developing infrastructure and improving living conditions in disadvantaged and border communes.

The completion of the Ho Chi Minh Highway running through the region, the upgrade of airports and the implementation of numerous transport projects also helped promote the region’s economic growth. Last year, regional enterprises made optimistic progress. The number of newly-established companies rose, while the number of businesses that had to dissolve or stop operating decreased remarkably.

Over the year, 2,417 new enterprises were registered with a total capital of VND10.2 trillion (US$448.8 million). It also attracted 131 investment projects totaling VND19.3 trillion (US$849.2 million), including 13 foreign-invested businesses.

Many socio-economic development targets such as the industrial production index and total retail sales of consumer goods and services were reached, and per capita income reached VND36.15 million (US$1,668), up 12% year-on-year.

The value of agro-fishery and forestry products rose by nearly 6% from 2014.

In 2015, Central Highlands provinces spent a total of VND88.4 trillion (US$3.89 billion) on building new-style rural areas.

They also provided vocational training for 85,800 locals, and jobs for 101,000 labourers.

A total of 35,000 households received assistance to successfully escape from poverty, and as a result the region’s poverty rate dropped to 8.5%.

According to the Steering Committee for the Central Highlands Region, in 2016, the region will strive to maintain socio-political stability, strengthen national unity, accelerate economic growth and speed up economic restructuring in order to fulfil its socio-economic development targets.