Attending the meeting were representatives of the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council, Office of the provincial National Assembly Delegation; leaders of departments and branches in the province.

Over the past time, the long spells of cold weather caused heavy damages to agricultural production, breeding and the people's life. Up to this time, 1,863 hectares of area under cultivation in the whole province has been damaged, of which 237.4 hectares of rice and 178 hectares of peanuts. 4,819 cattle was died, of which 1,393 buffaloes, 2,552 oxen and 874 goats. Work of bird flu prevention and control has been carried out drastically.

Regarding fishery, although the weather was bad, the people has had many effective measures to raise the output of products, clean the pond and lake to prepare for a new production crop. Industrial production value has continuously increased. A number of products have achieved a high growth rate, such as: beer, cement and Ceramic tiles. In capital construction, the provincial People's Committee has allocated investment capital for districts, city and units to focus on economic programs and key projects to create impetus for the socio-economic development.

Regarding cultural and social fields, the provincial People's Committee coordinated with the departments and branches to organize many sport activities and musical performance to welcome a Happy New Year; celebrate to introduce the socio-economic achievements in the process of industrialization and modernization of the country. All levels and organizations in the province have paid special attention to "Den on dap nghia" and "when drinking water, remember its source" movements, contributing to helping beneficiary of social welfare, families of martyrs and wounded soldiers as well as poor households overcome difficulties in their life.

Addressing the meeting, Chairman Phan Lam Phuong praised the efforts of the units in distributing rice in food aid for the people. He asked the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to consider and have measures to give the instruction of agricultural production to the people; total up a number of died cattle to have the plan for support; strengthen work of quarantine, inoculation to control the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease and H5N1. All levels and braches need to do their best in work of training and improving the knowledge for cadres, especially local cadres. He asked the Department of Internal Affairs to complete the mergence of some departments according to the direction of the Government.

N.Y