Berettyóújfalu cherished dream of becoming a town during the dualism and the interwar era. However, after the establishment of Hajdú-Bihar County in 1950, the settlement was forced to put aside its ambitions in this direction, being „left” behind the Hajdúság region. The issue of status had been on the agenda again since the 1970s: the National Concept for the Development of Settlement Networks, announced in 1971, aimed to develop several settlements, including Berettyóújfalu, into towns. The merger with the neighbouring village of Berettyószentmárton in 1970 was the first step in this process, after which Berettyóújfalu was upgraded to be a mid-level centre and was given independent financial and management powers. After the administrative changes, the modernisation of the municipality could begin, with appropriate state support. The progress of industry also helped to improve other sectors, notably health and education. In order to keep pace with the increased population, the Dr. Zöld Sándor Hospital in Berettyóújfalu underwent large-scale developments and staffing increases during these years, and the number of students studying in the town reached 1600 in 1979, justifying the name „school town” given by its contemporaries. Although the designation of Berettyóújfalu as a town was not yet proposed in the mid-1970s, the rapid growth of the town in all its segments had its effect within a foreseeable period of time: on 1 January 1979, Prime Minister Kállai Gyula – a native of Berettyóújfalu – officially declared Berettyóújfalu a town.