As the unit assigned to be in charge of the planning criterion, the provincial Department of Construction has actively coordinated with relevant departments and agencies to guide localities in implementing legal regulations on urban and rural planning, and ensuring consistency and unity in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Planning. To date, 100% of communes have had approved new-style rural area planning projects, completed planning markers, and adopted new-style rural area construction projects.

Dao Manh Chien, Deputy Director of the department, said that currently, the department is urging and guiding the People's Committees of districts and Son La city to sketch out planning schemes and make a list of newly established planning projects, and directing communes to review, supplement and adjust planning projects and new-style rural area construction projects. The implementation and management of planning schemes are supervised by the people and done in accordance with the local socio-economic orientations.

In Chieng Xom commune, at the end of 2020, the People's Committee of Son La city issued a decision approving a project to adjust the commune's rural construction planning for the 2020-2030 period. Leo Van Huong, Chairman of the commune People's Committee, said while making planning schemes and implementing planning management, the commune People's Committee has strengthened management, prevention and handling of cases of illegal construction, without permits, encroachment and improper use of land, encroachment on traffic corridors.

The implementation of the new-style rural construction planning has facilitated Mai Son district’s and its communes’ construction of infrastructure works, especially the transportation and irrigation systems, schools, and cultural houses, thus helping change the face of rural and urban areas, and create a green, clean and beautiful environment, contributing to investment attraction and local socio-economic development.

Cam Thi Khay, Vice Chairwoman of the district People's Committee, stated that based on the province's orientation on socio-economic development in each period, fluctuations due to changes in administrative boundaries and the implementation of major projects have affected the initial planning on new-style rural area building. Currently, the district People's Committee is directing communes to continue reviewing, adjusting and supplementing new-style rural planning to meet the requirements of the new set of criteria, associated with restructuring the agricultural sector, while allocating funds for communes to register for completing new-style rural and advanced new-style rural area criteria in the 2021-2025 period.

According to Decision No. 1676/QD-TTg dated December 25, 2023 of the Prime Minister on approving the master plan of Son La province for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, the plan for organising rural areas is specified, including rural development associated with building new-style rural areas, socio-economic development programmes and plans and the urbanisation process of the province in accordance with the natural and ecological conditions of each region and locality in the province; and building concentrated rural residential areas associated with specialised agricultural, forestry and fishery production areas or suburban agricultural areas.

The province is also building rural areas in the direction of renovating and embellishing existing values; investing in depth in technical service infrastructure and social infrastructure according to the new-style rural criteria. For commune and village centres, it is necessary to ensure suitable space for community activities and arrange sufficient production and living service infrastructure. For rural residential areas, it is necessary to invest in technical infrastructure suitable for production and living; and building solid and sustainable houses towards preserving traditional features.

Implementing the planning criterion does not stop at planning in the commune area, but also involves connections for systematic and inter-regional development. Currently, the province is continuing to direct departments, agencies and localities to review and plan strategic new-style rural construction, both to create connections consistent with other plans, and to inherit and promote local advantages, and speed up economic restructuring in line with the province’s socio-economic development orientations.