Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan affirmed a shift of vision for the city’s sustainable growth to turn HCMC into one of the attractive places to live.
Around 13 million residents live in HCMC accounting for 13 percent of the country’s population and contribute 23 percent to the country's Gross domestic product and 28 percent to the state budget. Many people flock to the country’s largest city to study, work and live with its population increase in around one million every five years. The city strains under the weight of the rapid population growth.
Overpopulation has caused pressure on the city’s infrastructure, housing program, environment and essential service supplies.
Mr. Nhan pointed out that fast urbanization plus lack of vision has worsened the problem.
In reality, infrastructure in the city has failed to keep pace with the population growth while public transportation has not met city dwellers’ demand leading to boom in personal vehicles – major cause of traffic congestion and air pollution.
Last but not least, the population growth does not correspondent with the green development at all and rivers, canals are filled up during urbanization resulting in flooding. Generally, though the city grows at high speed, its environment is polluted plus flooding threatening to the city’s sustainable development.
These hiccups will greatly make impact on the city’s economic growth; however, the government must take it into account, Mr. Nhan mentioned. Along with this, the city should seek for scientific solution and call for contributions of every walk of life, he emphasized.
In a talk with Sai Gon Giai Phong reporters, Party Chief Nhan affirmed that the Party and the municipal administration must have solutions for difficulties because residents require it.
Therefore, the city authorities must publicize solutions and road maps for the problems including traffic jam and flooding to manifest their responsibility and thereby will be able to call for social contributions to the city’s growth.
The city is focusing on development plan for the next period 2020-2025. One of its mission is to maintain the city’s position of economic-cultural hub. According to Mr. Nhan, the city needs to shift its vision and development strategies with determination.
In meetings, leaders of the municipal Party Committee and the People’s Committee have disseminated its sub-divisions and residents. Leaders of agencies and departments as well as local administrations must verify its barriers and submit solutions for this.
For instance, at a meeting with the Department of Construction, Mr. Nhan ordered the Department must offer scientific solutions and consultation to the People’s Committee.
On one hand, city authorities have toured to other countries to learn experiences and solutions for problems. For instance, lately, a delegation has made a trip to Japan, Indonesia and the Netherlands to find out the longest embankment in Indonesia to fight flooding.
Mr. Nhan proposed building dyke system to help tackle flooding as well as traffic development and improve economic values.
City authorities have defined its mission is to build smart city. One of its present duties is to develop forecast to help see future problems thereby help to avoid mistake in making decision.
On the other hand, city leaders have relentlessly called for investment from local and international investors. In trips to countries oversea, delegations of city authorities have taken advantaged of meeting with enterprises and investors to appeal investment.
Meantime, Chairman of People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong has organized periodic meetings to solve formalities for investment projects.
