Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNS/VNA) – Hanoi will earmark 650 billion VND (28.2 million USD) to help the poor and other socialbeneficiaries via the local branch of Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP),amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Priority will be givento households enjoying debt payment rescheduling and extension, those under andjust above the poverty line, families of war martyrs, invalids and social beneficiaries. Small- andmedium-sized enterprises and cooperatives that attract a large number oflabourers will also be eligible.
The capital isaimed at helping them restore production and offset the impact of the COVID-19pandemic.
The municipalauthorities asked the VBSP branch to work closely with local administrations,mass organisations and associations to promptly disburse the sum, which isexpected to meet about 65 percent of loan demand.
According to the reportof VBSP’s Hanoi branch,African swine fever, bird flu and especially the COVID-19 pandemic haveseriously affected the lives and production of the poor and social policyhouseholds in the city.
Additional capital of 1trillion VND is neededfor 25,000 customers, who are eligible for loans, to resume their productionthis year, the report said.
A representative from Hanoi Labour, Invalids and SocialAffairs Department said, in accordance with the draft Government Resolution tosupport people facing difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the capital city has between 2-3million people who fall under this category.
Specifically, the cityhas nearly 281,000 people who receive monthly social allowance, including 89,000 who havecontributed to the national revolutionary cause, over 8,700 poor households and 49,000 near-poorones.
According to statisticsfrom labour organisations, by the end of March, about 40 percent of the over 240,000 local enterprises had to reduce theirproduction scale or suspend operations.
The number of employeeswith labour contract suspension or unpaid leave at enterprises, and employees with labour contractsterminated but not yet eligible for unemployment allowances is estimated to beover one million.
Speaking at an onlinemeeting on April 6 todiscuss the city's socio-economic development and response to COVID-19, Nguyen Mạnh Quyen, director of the city’sPlanning and Investment Department, said the COVID-19 pandemic hadimpacted all aspects of life in the city.
He said the city woulddevise an action plan to support business, production and to ensure socialwelfare in response to the COVID-19 crisis.
Among economic recoveryefforts, the city will push forward administration reform efforts bysimplifying procedures, shortening time spent on procedures and expanding the list of public administration services available online.
The city will alsoencourage the production of medical supplies, including face masks,antibacterial cleaning products, ventilators and testing kits to deal with thedevelopments of the pandemic.
It will review itspublic expenditure for more effective spending, with a plan to cut spending by5 percent this year./.
