Along with Vinh Hung, Quang Tho is one of two communes selected by the province to develop Smart Commune - a model of information technology (IT) application to advertise and promote socio-economic development.
Smart countryside
Built from January to the end of March 2021, Hue Information Technology Center (HueCIT), Thua Thien Hue Intelligent Operations Center (HueIOC) and related units have organized launch and hand over IT application products - part of the Smart Commune model to the People's Committee of Quang Tho Commune.
HueCIT Director Mr. Hoang Bao Hung said that, together with the whole country, the building and piloting of the Smart Commune model contributes to the actualization of the plan to implement the National Digital Transformation Program until 2025.
Accordingly, the Smart Commune construction model has the main objectives based on the development orientation as well as the advantages and readiness of the local IT application: perfecting the e-Government, towards building a Digital Government, Digital Society and Digital Economy.
“The difference is that we implement the Smart Commune model proposed by Thua Thien Hue, not according to the existing model of the Department of Informatization - Ministry of Information & Communications. The model of the province is built on the basis of "new rural commune": Going from the model, to the system of public colleges and then building smart agriculture with high-tech applications in production", Mr. Hung said.
Currently, HueCIT has handed over the Smart Commune general information page (http://quangtho.huecit.com) and the digital co-operative website (http://htxquangtho1.huecit.com), this site will be integrated with e-commerce functions. This is a step to create momentum for the implementation of smart co-operative management solutions, production management and decision support; application of a real-time environmental monitoring system and support for the operation and management of agricultural production.
In addition, Quang Tho Smart Commune also has an environmental monitoring system for aquaculture, a "virtual" tourism system (tourism promotion by virtual reality technology) for the commune and expanded to Quang Dien district; scene-reporting system - Listening to rural life with specific characteristics for Quang Tho (local people's complaints, the commune authorities receive and process, not upload to the scene-reporting system of the Smart City - HueS).
Beneficial the people
At the intelligent management and administration office of the commune, Chairman of Quang Tho Commune People's Committee - Hoang Cong Phong excitedly, for 4 consecutive years (from 2017-2020) the commune has been at the forefront of IT application in communes and towns of Quang Dien district. This is an important foundation for Quang Tho to be selected as a pilot to build Smart Commune in the province.
To support the people in the process of conversion, the district has invested in intelligent management and administration offices, 7 free wifi hotspots in 8 villages (with 2 shared villages); the commune installed 14 security cameras (including 3 smart cameras) for monitoring on the main axes of province, district, inter-village roads, agencies and schools; cooperate with Viettel Pay to make a cashless payment card for key staff in communes and villages. In the near future people can use smartphones to pay electricity and water bills, receive salaries and allowances through their accounts.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hoa, a resident of Quang Tho commune is happy: With nearly 50% of local people using smartphones, we benefit a lot from the Smart Commune model. "The most fun is having wifi, surfing the public internet for free so people can update information quickly", said Mr. Hoa.
According to local leaders, digital transformation at commune-level means doing specific things for the people. Implement a comprehensive renovation from thinking, awareness to the way of doing things of officials and civil servants as well as renewing awareness, changing the old habits and ways of each citizen, enterprise and co-operative into a brand new way of working.
Chairman of Quang Tho commune said that the initial implementation contents have shown certain effectiveness. As through reflection on the scene, many problems are solved quickly and effectively by digital means; from receiving, distributing, processing, and interacting. "However, the commune still has a lot of work to do," Mr.Phong said.
“Now the most important thing is to propagate so that people know, understand, and change their perception of digital transformation and Smart Commune. Why build Smart Commune and what people benefit from it, encourage the people to participate in non-cash payments… We are also proposing the province to support a smart radio system and install 5 monitoring systems (4 water environment, 1 air environment) according to the plan", Mr. Phong expressed.
Currently, the commune radio is still using wireline. The Department of Planning and Investment has surveyed, appraised, and is expected to support Quang Tho in building a smart application on the radio system, operated by smartphones. Previously, the water environment monitoring system was tested with feasible results but not yet implemented. The commune is also facing difficulties because of the lack of specialized staff in the intelligent operating room to manage and handle.