Localities push to meet new-style rural standards

In recent years, Dong Nai province has consistently remained among the leading localities in new-style rural development. However, the national new-style rural criteria for the 2026-2030 period introduce many new indicators, some of which require higher standards than in the previous period. This reality presents a considerable challenge for localities building new-style rural areas in the period ahead.

A high-tech durian farming model in Phuoc Son commune. Photo: Binh Nguyen

In 2026, Dong Nai aims to have five communes meet new-style rural standards. Despite challenges, localities remain determined to fulfill their assigned tasks.

Numerous challenges ahead

Under the 2020–2025 criteria, following administrative mergers, Dong Nai has 67 out of 72 communes meeting new-style rural standards, accounting for over 93% of the total. Among them, 25 communes have achieved advanced new-style rural status, while 8 have been recognised as exemplary new-style rural communes.

However, the new-style rural program for the 2026–2030 period includes substantial changes. Based on the new national criteria framework, Dong Nai targets five communes - Xuan Loc, Dau Giay, Dinh Quan, Phu Vinh, and Cam My - to meet new-style rural standards in 2026.

A key difficulty for localities is that, to date, the national new-style rural criteria for the 2026-2030 period have only issued a general framework and have not yet specified detailed benchmarks, while responsibility has been assigned to central ministries and agencies to issue guidance for local implementation. As of now, some ministries and agencies are still drafting this guidance, leaving localities without sufficient legal grounds to promulgate their own new-style rural criteria for implementation, as a basis for assessing current conditions and calculating the resources needed to implement the program in the 2026-2030 period and in 2026.

Achieving new-style rural standards in 2026 is therefore a considerable challenge for localities, especially amid post-merger adjustments that have brought many changes and fluctuations. In particular, demand for infrastructure investment, especially rural transport systems, remains high, while budget resources are limited and mobilizing contributions from residents is still difficult.

Nguyen Le Truong Son, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Dau Giay commune, said that after a review, Dau Giay commune has so far met 4 out of 10 criteria and 37 out of 47 indicators. The criteria not yet met include the proportion of households using clean water that meets standards; the proportion of solid waste, organic livestock waste, and agricultural by-products collected and processed into fertilizer materials; and the existence of an appropriate plan for drainage and for the collection and treatment of solid waste in rural residential areas. In addition, some criteria have not yet been evaluated. Over the past period, the commune has made major efforts to handle organic livestock waste. However, a key difficulty is that there are still no enterprises in the commune capable of processing livestock waste into fertilizer, and attracting such businesses is very difficult.

Developing an appropriate plan for drainage, solid waste collection, and treatment in rural residential areas to meet environmental requirements is one of the criteria the commune is striving to meet. The commune also expressed the need for supportive mechanisms and policies to encourage community participation in upgrading road infrastructure alongside drainage and wastewater treatment systems. For criteria that have yet to be assessed due to the lack of guidelines, the commune hopes for timely direction from the Provincial People’s Committee so that implementation can proceed.

Proactive efforts at the grassroots level

Despite the challenges, localities aiming to achieve new-style commune standards in 2026 remain committed to fulfilling their targets.

Nguyen Dai Thang, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the People’s Committee of Cam My commune, said that the commune has met 6 out of 10 criteria and 39 out of 47 indicators. Among these, three indicators remain unmet, and five have yet to be assessed. The unmet indicators are largely challenging ones, such as the average per capita income growth rate, which currently stands at 8% per year, while the assigned target is 9–12%. For the criteria not yet evaluated, the Long Giao Industrial Cluster is still in the auction stage and has not been assessed.

In addition, several criteria related to smart village models, such as having a plan and implementing drainage systems, have not yet been evaluated due to the absence of detailed guidance. The commune has proposed that the Provincial People’s Committee soon issue specific criteria for each category of new-style communes for the 2026–2030 period. They also hope that relevant departments and sectors will guide documentation and evaluation procedures so that the commune can continue to complete its new-style rural assessment dossier.

Nguyen Le Truong Son, Vice Chairman of the Dau Giay Commune People’s Committee, emphasized that Dau Giay is currently implementing urban planning in a synchronized manner. At the same time, the commune is making strong efforts to implement drainage solutions and to collect and treat solid waste in rural residential areas, in compliance with environmental requirements. The commune also hopes for mechanisms and policies that will continue to encourage public participation in socialized initiatives, thereby enabling the synchronized upgrading of roads, drainage systems, and wastewater collection and treatment systems. For criteria that cannot yet be assessed due to the lack of guidance, the commune hopes the provincial People’s Committee will soon provide instructions so that implementation can proceed effectively. To address the remaining unmet criteria, Dau Giay is pursuing a two-pronged approach: continuing implementation while assigning each specialized agency and each sectoral management unit to review and fulfill each outstanding criterion. At the same time, the commune is both implementing the criteria and completing documentation for those already achieved, to finalize its new-style commune dossier by the third quarter of 2026.

Among the five communes striving to meet new-style rural standards in 2026, Xuan Loc commune has so far fulfilled all indicators and criteria under the new framework. The Commune People’s Committee has directed specialized units to regularly review the criteria and supplement related documentation for new-style rural standards, with plans to submit its new-style commune dossier to the Provincial People’s Committee in the first quarter of 2026.

By Binh Nguyen – Translated by Minh Hong, Minho