Poverty rates in mountainous and ethnic regions were reduced by 2-4 percent last year, with most rapid decreases seen in the northern provinces of Ha Giang, Yen Bai, and Son La, and the southern Soc Trang, it was reported at a conference in Hanoi on January 14.
Reports delivered at the Government Committee for Ethnic Affairs meeting noted that the poverty rate among households in the northwestern region dropped by 3.5 percent, while the northeastern region saw a decrease of 3 percent and the Tay Nguyen Central Highlands was able to reduce the poverty rate by 2.7 percent.
The conference also heard that in 2014, mountainous provinces recorded an average economic growth of 8-10 percent thanks to a recovery in industrial and agricultural production with increases in productivity, output, and quality. The living conditions of ethnic minorities improved while political and security situations remained stable.
The positive outcomes were attributable to numerous policies dedicated to mountainous ethnic areas, including programmes to build flood-resistant homes in vulnerable areas in the Mekong Delta and central regions and a project to construct 186 suspension bridges in 28 mountainous provinces.
In 2014, over 3.9 trillion VND (183.3 million USD) was allocated to 2,331 disadvantaged communes for infrastructure upgrades and production development, with an additional 327 billion VND provided for resettlement projects targeting nomadic ethnic minority groups.
In particular, 29 provinces have provided housing and farming land to landless ethnic households in extremely poor areas.
Addressing the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hailed ethnic affairs results in the last year, saying that they significantly contributed to Millennium Development Goal achievements on poverty reduction and the country’s socio-economic targets.
At the same time, he appealed for greater efforts towards further developing mountainous ethnic areas.
In addition to the Party and Government’s policies, he suggested localities enact their own measures to accelerate growth in these areas by paying more attention to ethnic affairs, allocating resources to far-flung areas, and organising activities to attract more investment.-VNA
Reports delivered at the Government Committee for Ethnic Affairs meeting noted that the poverty rate among households in the northwestern region dropped by 3.5 percent, while the northeastern region saw a decrease of 3 percent and the Tay Nguyen Central Highlands was able to reduce the poverty rate by 2.7 percent.
The conference also heard that in 2014, mountainous provinces recorded an average economic growth of 8-10 percent thanks to a recovery in industrial and agricultural production with increases in productivity, output, and quality. The living conditions of ethnic minorities improved while political and security situations remained stable.
The positive outcomes were attributable to numerous policies dedicated to mountainous ethnic areas, including programmes to build flood-resistant homes in vulnerable areas in the Mekong Delta and central regions and a project to construct 186 suspension bridges in 28 mountainous provinces.
In 2014, over 3.9 trillion VND (183.3 million USD) was allocated to 2,331 disadvantaged communes for infrastructure upgrades and production development, with an additional 327 billion VND provided for resettlement projects targeting nomadic ethnic minority groups.
In particular, 29 provinces have provided housing and farming land to landless ethnic households in extremely poor areas.
Addressing the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hailed ethnic affairs results in the last year, saying that they significantly contributed to Millennium Development Goal achievements on poverty reduction and the country’s socio-economic targets.
At the same time, he appealed for greater efforts towards further developing mountainous ethnic areas.
In addition to the Party and Government’s policies, he suggested localities enact their own measures to accelerate growth in these areas by paying more attention to ethnic affairs, allocating resources to far-flung areas, and organising activities to attract more investment.-VNA
