The Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) held a conference in the central city of Hue on April 11 to launch a pilot project to select young intellectuals who volunteer to work in rural and mountainous areas in the 2013-2020 period.

Addressing the event, MoHA Deputy Minister Nguyen Tien Dinh said his ministry has set up a steering board overseeing the implementation of the project and issued guiding documents.

Based on its surveys conducted at 1,644 communes in 170 districts of 40 provinces facing socio-economic difficulties and localities’ needs, the ministry has decided to send 500 young intellectuals to 163 districts in 34 provinces, he said.

Under the project, adopted by the Prime Minister in last September, the selected are hoped to help local authorities and people in benefited areas in socio-economic development, poverty reduction and the building of new-style rural areas.

The project aims to recruit 300 young intellectuals, who are under 30, in 2014 and the remaining 200 in 2015.-VNA