HCM City’s district 5 official visits and presents a gift to a local disadvantaged household. (Photo: VNA) As part of the programme, the city will offer a credit packageworth around 1.7 trillion VND (72.2 million USD) at preferential interestrates, nearly 420 billion VND (17.8 million USD) in non-refundable support, and16 billion VND (679,200 USD) in the sustainable poverty-reduction programme atall levels.
Le Van Thinh, permanent deputy head of the city’s SteeringCommittee for Sustainable Poverty Reduction Programme, said HCM City aimed toreach its target of having no poor households by the end of 2023 according tostandards for the 2021-2025 period.
Under the city’s poverty standards for the 2021-2025 period, apoor household has an average income of below 36 million VND (1,530 USD) perperson per year, and a near-poor household 36 million VND to 46 million VND (1,950USD).
The city aims to reduce the number of poor households by 0.38% andthe number of near-poor households by 0.28%, and increase the poor’s averageper capita income.
Measures to help the poor include loans, vocational training, jobintroduction and scholarships, as well as support for education, housing,healthcare, and legal aid for the poor and near-poor.
The steering committee has asked the Party committees andauthorities at all levels and sectors to strengthen information andcommunication activities to raise public awareness of the meaning, objectivesand goals of the poverty reduction programme.
Localities should combine the poverty reduction programme withtheir annual socio-economic development programmes, Thinh said.
The solutions and policies supporting socio-economic developmentare implemented in the direction of gradually reducing financial assistance andincreasing support for production and businesses to help poor and near-poorhouseholds to lift themselves out of poverty.
Localities and departments have also been asked to regularlyreview and update the list of poor households to promptly provide support.
Last year, the city had 16,100 fewer poor households and 9,700fewer near-poor households.
By the end of last year, the whole city had more than 21,300 poorhouseholds and 18,068 near-poor households, accounting for 0.84% and 0.71% ofthe city's total households, respectively./.
VNA
