Last Saturday, Da Nang authorities announced that they are willing to pay for citizens' ideas on how to improve the environment and image of the central city, giving local residents a more active role in local development.
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According to Vietnam News, officials from the city's Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism are cooperating with other government agencies in an effort to implement citizen-proposed projects for the sake of local tourism.
Requests may be submitted either by email or via Da Nang's official Facebook page, with mainly younger residents joining in the conversation. Officials are particularly interested in new ideas related to traffic safety, public security and city landscapes, however all suggestions are welcome.
According to Huynh Duc Tho, chairman of the Da Nang People's Committee, the proposed projects are then forwarded on to the relevant agencies and reviewed. If approved, the project will be implemented and its creator compensated, reports Tuoi Tre.
So far, Da Nang is already greenlighting several citizen-proposed projects, including a scheme to popularize the art of ballet shuttlecock, an e-ticketing system for local sporting events and a double-decker bus tour of the city.
Authorities have also introduced new manhole covers made from a composite material which prevents garbage from clogging sewers in addition to minimizing unwanted smells.
“We are ready to offer compensation for good ideas by citizens,” Deputy Head of the city's Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Tran Chi Cuong told Vietnam News. “Our policy is to reward and recognize the efforts of those who contribute ideas to the city.”
The plan is not unlike last year's Saigon Makeover competition, in which local residents were called upon to submit designs and proposals on how to beautify Saigon. While the contest was only a preview of what could be done to improve the southern hub, Da Nang's new scheme seems to be benefitting the city already.
[Top image via KnG Đà Nẵng]
