The Ministry of Information and Communications held a seminar in the Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu on April 11 to launch the second phase of a project to improve computer literacy and public internet access in Vietnam.

Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (US), the project spans 40 provinces nationwide. In the first phase, 12 provinces benefited from the project.

Another 16 provinces, including five from the Mekong Delta region of Hau Giang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, Vinh Long and Dong Thap, will join the second phase.

According to Phan Huu Phong, Director of the project management board, the Prime Minister gave permission to implement the project on July 12, 2011 . Total funding for the scheme is 50.5 million USD.-VNA