PM Dung sets huge target for national coal supplier

Coal industry was at the helm of numerous tasks set by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung for Quang Ninh province to tap its rich potential amidst global economic crisis.

The Government leader said the coal industry should dig and sell out 35-36 million tonnes of coal by 2009 and secure jobs for almost 100,000 workers during his visit to the coal-mining province of Quang Ninh on November 29.

To reach that end, Dung urged the province and industry to speed up administrative reforms and intensify investments in key projects while ensuring social welfare for locals, especially those in the poorest Ba Che district.

In addition to the coal industry, the PM paid attention to the province’s other strengths, calling on the local administration to take concrete measures in support of enterprises in electricity, cement and engineering to boost production and exports.

“Local authorities should overcome difficulties emerging from global financial crisis that may cause negative impact on the province’s exports, foreign investments and tourism and tap its strengths in industry and tourism to maintain economic growth,” Dung emphasised.

Quang Ninh was among Vietnam’s drastic growing economies in 2008 despite natural disasters and inflation, with GDP growth rate estimated at 13.2% while industrial production is likely to increase 14.2%, thus bringing an annual per-capita income up to 1,206 USD and poverty rate down to 5%. (VNA)