Hanoi (VNA) - Party General Secretary To Lam emphasised on December 16 that policies and benefits for those with meritorious service to the revolution must be implemented fully, promptly, and efficiently, with no tolerance for shifting responsibility, stressing the need for a strong commitment to resolve any lingering issues concerning them.
Chairing a working session with representatives of central agencies, ministries and sectors to review the implementation of policies and mechanisms for those who rendered service to the revolution, as well as efforts to search for, recover and identify martyrs’ remains, the Party chief stressed that in recent years, thanks to the concerted efforts, these work has recorded many commendable results. Policies have been continuously adjusted and improved, reflecting the care, responsibility and determination of the entire political system, thereby reinforcing public trust in the Party and State’s commitment.
However, alongside these achievements, he frankly pointed out that many issues remain unresolved, including long-standing backlogs spanning decades, as well as urgent tasks requiring stronger, timelier and more fundamental solutions.
The top leader called for a thorough review and improvement of policies to ensure a modern, transparent and coherent framework that meets new requirements. He urged accelerated and more effective efforts in searching for and identifying the remains of fallen soldiers, the humane and respectful return of war mementoes, and the expanded application of DNA technology to shorten timelines and meet the expectations of hundreds of thousands of families.
He also stressed the need to mobilise resources across the entire political system, with clear assignments, responsibilities, timelines and accountability.
General Secretary Lam affirmed that policies for people with meritorious service and the work of recovering and identifying martyrs’ remains are an important political task, carrying profound moral, historical and humanitarian significance and serving as a measure of the Party and State’s responsibility to those who sacrificed for national independence and freedom.
He tasked the Government's Party Committee with urgently reviewing and revising relevant laws and policies, completing the settlement of major backlogs by 2026, accelerating DNA testing, removing bottlenecks in mechanisms, funding and technology, and ensuring sufficient resources for effective implementation. Specific responsibilities were also assigned to the Central Military Commission, the Party Committee of the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and local Party committees and authorities.
Reporting at the event, the Ministry of Home Affairs said that there are 52 care and rehabilitation centres for people with meritorious service nationwide, with 28 centres directly caring for 1,578 individuals. From 2022 to 2024, over 1.1 million people received rehabilitation support. Housing assistance policies have been effectively implemented, benefiting more than 400,000 households between 2013 and 2025.
Recognition of people with meritorious service has been conducted transparently. Since the introduction of a special mechanism in 2017 to resolve pending cases, more than 7,000 dossiers have been settled, including the posthumous recognition of 2,400 martyrs and the certification of over 2,700 war invalids. The country currently has more than 7,000 memorial sites, including over 3,000 cemeteries for the burial of martyrs.
Regarding remains recovery, more than 900,000 sets of remains from fallen soldiers have been reburied nationwide, with around 300,000 graves still unidentified, and approximately 175,000 remains yet to be recovered both domestically and abroad. From 2021 to 2025, 6,959 sets of remains were recovered, while DNA analysis helped identify 103 martyrs./.
