WB-funded Distribution Efficiency Project starts in Thanh Hoa

The World Bank-funded Distribution Efficiency Project for the northern region started in Dong Linh commune, Dong Son district, Thanh Hoa province on January 13.

The project, which costs more than VND4,200 billion, will be implemented by the Electricity of Vietnam’s Northern Power Corporation (EVN NPC) in the next five years (2013-2017).  

This is the largest power grid project funded by the WB so far. It includes the construction and operation of electricity distribution networks, introduction of smart grid technologies and improvement of capacity building for Electricity Regulatory Authority of Vietnam (ERAV) and five power corporations.

After the project is completed, the power grid in the northern region will provide safe, stable and reliable electricity services through medium and low voltage electricity distribution networks in rural areas in the process of national modernization and industrialization.

Thanh Hoa is the first among 19 provinces and cities to see the project get off the ground.

In Thanh Hoa province, EVN NPC will help improve the Ba Che – Nui 1 110kv transmission line in Dong Son and Thieu Hoa districts with total investment capital of nearly VND62 billion. Of the sum, nearly VND49 billion are sourced from the WB.

Salvage vessel saves 15 from fishing vessel

A salvage vessel has rescued the crews of two fishing boats whose motors broke down in territorial waters off central Da Nang City, near the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelago.

The boats were towed to safe anchorage.

Boat QNg 92101, with seven crew, skippered by Nguyen Duc, of central Quang Ngai Province, had been drifting for a week.

Boat KH 98568, with eight crew, skippered by Nguyen Van Bi, off central coastal Phu Yen Province, had been drifting for six days.

VND2 billion raised for AO victims in Danang

Over VND2 billion and 900 gift packages were raised for the Agent Orange/dioxin (AO) victims in Danang in a music programme on January 13.

The programme, entitled “Mua xuan cho em” (Spring for children), was jointly organised by the Danang  Association for Agent Orange/dioxin Victim (DAVA), Danang Newspaper and Danang Television in the lead up to the upcoming Lunar New Year festival.

Twenty gift packages valued at VND500,000 each were also presented to the victims during the event.

Currently, the DAVA has more than 1,700 members, including 50 foreigners.

In 2012, the association collected nearly VND6 billion worth of cash, gifts and equipment for more than 5,000 victims in the city, including 200 children.

Exams held to fill senior provincial positions

On Saturday, north-eastern Quang Ninh Province became the first locality nationwide to hold an examination to recruit local officials.

Organised by the provincial Standing Committee of the People's Council, the examination will determine the new deputy director of the provincial Department of Information and Communications as well as the next head of Ha Long Bay's management board.

"Although this was the first time it was held, the examination was well organised," said Pham Thi Thuy Duong, director of the Van Canh Park Conservation Centre, one of six candidates for the management board position told Quang Ninh newspaper.

Nguyen Thi Hien, another candidate for the same title, said that the examination provided an opportunity for young people to discuss how to better protect the bay.

The provincial People's Committee expected that the province could recruit talented and moral local officials using the examination, and other candidates were equally optimistic, saying they hoped that more such examinations would be organised in the province.

Later yesterday, the provincial authorities announced the exam's result. Pham Thi Thuy Duong won the position to head Ha Long Bay's management board.

Pham Hong Lan, who has worked for the provincial sub-commission on publicity and education, was selected to be deputy director of the provincial Department of Information and Communications.

The move came about due to a Government's resolution for State administrative reform during 2011-20 that aims to improve the quality of Government workers and quality of public administrative services.

In Ha Noi, the People's Committee has assigned its home affairs department with the task of piloting examinations to recruit officials in the second quarter of this year.

Nation offers aid to Philippines

The Vietnamese Government provided emergency aid worth US$50,000 to the Philippines in the aftermath of Typhoon Bopha.

Bopha hit the Philippines early last month, crossing the southern and central regions of Mindanao, cutting power to two provinces and triggering landslides. More than 170,000 people fled to evacuation centres.

Danang aims for lower poverty rate

The central city of Danang has earmarked more than VND1,000 billion fora poverty reduction project over the 2013–2017 period.

The city wants the project to raise all disadvantaged households beyond the special poor classification by 2016.

To achieve the goal, Danang will mobilise all available resources to provide its poor with accommodation, electricity and clean water supplies, low-cost healthcare services, and preferential loans—all hopefully helping them stabilise their lives.

Danang currently has 22,000 households living under the rural poverty line of VND600,000/person/month and the urban poverty line of VND800,000/person/month. It amounts to 9.1 percent of the city’s total population.

Municipal authorities have built new houses for thousands of poor people and provided vocational training to nearly 2,000 people.

During the New Year holidays, more than 3,000 tonnes of food are donated annually to social policy beneficiaries and the poor.

Ha Noi to build two parking structures

The Ha Noi People's Committee has approved VND110 billion (US$5.2 million) for the construction of two steel structures for parking with a combined capacity of 300 cars.

The vehicle parking structures are planned for Hoan Kiem District's Tran Nhat Duat Street and Ba Dinh District's Nguyen Cong Hoan Street.

Building contractors will be Ha Noi Parking Company. Construction is planned for the second quarter of this year.

Vietnamese nurses to work in Germany

About 100 Vietnamese nurses will get training and work in Germany under a pilot programme between the two countries, according to the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs.

Head of the Ministry's Department of Overseas Labour (DOLAB) Nguyen Ngoc Quynh said nurses who have a college degree and are under 25 years old are eligible to apply for a two-year training course on taking care of the elderly at a German institution.

During their study period, they will get free accommodations and a scholarship of 800-900 EUR (US$1,047—US$1,190) per month to cover their expenses.

They will then take Germany's national exam. If they pass, they will be asked to work in centres for the elderly for three years. During this period, they will earn 1,800-2,000 EUR (US$2,380-US$2,619) per month. Then they can either stay and work in Germany or return home.

Quynh said Germany's aging population puts it in urgent need of foreign caretakers. The country is trying to recruit about 150,000 workers in all sectors, offering high salaries and a favourable working environment.

According to Ministry of Health's Medical Services Administration Department, about 30,000 nurses graduate from the country's 100 nursing schools every year, so this is a great opportunity for them to work overseas.

Vietnam has also reached an agreement to provide nurses to Japan. The island nation needs 2.5 million caregivers in the next 10 years.

More than 80,300 Vietnamese labourers started working overseas last year, mainly in the traditional markets of Taiwan, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

Police nab pair for transporting rotten pork

Southern Binh Duong Province police arrested two people found transporting 600kg of decomposing pork on Saturday.

The suspects failed to show documents to prove the origins of the pork. They admitted it was being transported from HCM City to sell at local markets in Binh Duong Province.

Naval ships transport Tet gifts to offshore soldiers

On January 13, two naval ships left the coastal city of Vung Tau, southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, carrying New Year gifts for officers and soldiers stationed at offshore marine defence platforms and Con Dao island.  

One vessel will deliver goods to Tu Chinh, Phuc Nguyen, Que Duong, Huyen Tran and Ba Ke defence platforms. The second will unload its cargo at platform DK1/10 and Con Dao island.

The supplies include fragrant rice, pork, sweets, and peach flowers donated by individuals, agencies and organisations from across the country to help the officers and soldiers enjoy an authentic traditional Lunar New Year.

Women's group shelters disadvantaged kids

Two hundred disadvantaged children aged between eight and 16 living in seven shelters set up by the HCM City Women's Charity Association are getting formal schooling.

Nguyen Thi Ngoc Yen, deputy chairwoman of the association, said last year it had received donations worth VND3.9 billion (US$187,000) to support the children.

The association also helped provide free vocational training to 125 poor teenage girls in HCM City, and gave low-interest loans to 185 women to start small businesses, Yen said.

VNN/VOV/VNS