The Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade (VietinBank) has handed over 321 houses to needy households in the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai.

Apart from funding 8 billion VND (263,000 USD) to build the houses, the bank provided local residents with essential utensils.

The Prime Minister has approved new policies on supporting poor ethnic minorities and underprivileged households in extremely difficult areas in the 2013-15 period.

Accordingly, 70 percent of the target households will be provided with houses and farming land by 2015.-VNA