Many hectares of rice field in Tra Vinh suffer from droughts. (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - The Prime Minister has approved 284.5 billion VND (12.7 million USD) in aid to help 19 provinces across the country address the consequences of droughts and saline intrusion since early this year.
The localities have suffered severe damages from droughts and saline intrusion to their 2014-2015 Winter-Spring crops and the Summer-Fall crops this year.
Among the aid recipients there are nine central provinces, namely Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Khanh Hoa and Binh Thuan.
Other targeted localities are the northern mountainous province of Lai Chau, the northern province of Bac Ninh; the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong; and the southern provinces of Binh Phuoc, Ben Tre, Ca Mau, Tra Vinh, Vinh Long, Hau Giang and Tien Giang.
The Ministry of Finance is responsible for the accuracy of reports on the use of the aid.
The People’s Committees of the targeted localities are to mobilise other resources in a bid to ensure effective implementation of the work.
Khanh Hoa province is instructed to make detailed plans on the varieties and amount of seedling trees needed to submit to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Drought, water shortages and salt intrusion caused by El Nino have affected the central, Central Highlands and southern regions since late 2014.
According to Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Hoang Van Thang, the water shortage has seriously affected 122,000 ha of agricultural land so far this year, while causing difficulties to local people in their daily life as well.-VNA
