Tuyen Quang (VNS/VNA) - At a resettlementarea in Phu Luu commune in Ham Yen district  of the northern mountainous province of TuyenQuang, spacious houses were built close to each other connected by paved roadsand alleys.

After 20 years of implementing the resettlement of residents tobuild the Tuyen Quang Hydropower Plant project, the lives of more than4,000 households with over 20,000 people living in 125 resettlement siteshave changed a lot.

People have settled down and prospered in their newhometowns.

Ho Van Chieu, head of one such zone, said thathis resettlement had a total of 37 households mainly of Tay ethnicminority people.

To help people quickly stabilise their lives, local authoritiesalways promptly informed people about the State's support policies as wellas guided them to apply techniques in production and animal husbandry.

The life of people in the resettlement area had improved, as manyhouseholds had become well-off from growing oranges, lemons, anddoing service businesses.

Tay Van Tuong said that in the past, in the old village, hisfamily's life was very difficult, as they only worked in the forest.

After being resettled, people were provided with land by the Stateto build houses and land for cultivation and livestock, and were guided byagricultural extension officers in production techniques.

The State invested in building rural roads and electricity systemsat resettlement sites, making it very convenient for people to travel andtransport goods.

From the compensation provided by the State for the Tuyen QuangHydropower Plant project, Tuong's family invested in growing oranges andopening a grocery store.

Every year, his family earned nearly 200 million VND in profitfrom a 4ha area of oranges and the grocery store.

“We wish to continue to be supported by the State with loansfor production development with long-term and low-interest loans, sothat households are able to expand production and improve incomes,”said Tuong.

The resettlement areas feature roads, cultural houses andschools. Currently, 100% of households use electricity from the national grid,and 99% of households use hygienic water.

All school-age children go to school and people havebetter access to medical services when they are sick.

The Tuyen Quang Hydro Electricity project was approved by thePrime Minister in April 2002, started construction in 2003 and wasput into operation in 2008.

From 2003-2006, about 4,000 households and over 20,000 people weremoved to 125 resettlement sites in the districts of Lam Binh, Na Hang, Chiem Hoa,Ham Yen, Yen Son, and the city of Tuyen Quang.

Nguyen Thi Dinh, former director of the relocation departmentfor the resettlement project of Tuyen Quang Hydropower Plant in the2002-2003 period, said that in the early days of relocation, it was difficultto convince people to accept leaving the land they were attached tofor new land.

Hundreds of Tuyen Quang province’s officials with experienceand knowledge about local customs were sent to communes andvillages to mobilise and guide people to relocate.

The resettled residents hope that the state willcontinue to invest in some infrastructure projects under construction./.