Tet gifts were presented to social policy beneficiaries and poor households in the southwest and house construction finances were delivered to families in border and island areas and members of the fishery force who were hit by difficulties, totally worth 25 billion USD, on February 10.

It was part of the Lunar New Year (Tet) programme held in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho for disadvantaged people in the region by the Southwest Steering Board, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, and the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies.

The function was attended by Le Hong Anh, Politburo member and Standing member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat.

Addressing the programme, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh, who heads the Southwest Steering Board, stated that efforts have been made to reduce the percentage of poor households in the region to 5.6 percent.

The Board and Government ministries and agencies have worked closely with regional localities in safeguarding social security for Mekong Delta people, especially in helping the underprivileged ones enjoy Tet, the country’s largest holiday, to the fullest, said the Deputy PM.

He took the occasion to call on businesspeople and philanthropists to continue upholding the tradition of solidarity and sharing to assist poverty-ridden locals while enthusiastically participating in building new-style rural areas, preserving cultural identities, and developing the Mekong Delta.

In recent days, the Board and regional localities co-organised Tet visits to nearly 1,300 poor households and military units stationed on Phu Quoc island district.-VNA