[Vietnam] Poverty-alleviation programme approved

From The Vietnam News Agency

HA NOI — The Viet Nam Government will strive to eradicate hunger and lower the poverty rate to below 30 per cent in underprivileged, mountainous ethnic minority communes by 2010, according to a decision Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem signed on January 10.

The decision was related to a programme to promote socio-economic development in extremely poor areas -progamme 135 - over the next four years.

The programme’s second phase will aim to promote a farming economy aligned with market-oriented production, to increase the quality of ethnic minorities’ lives, and to reduce the development gap between rural and urban areas.

The decision stated more than 70 per cent of households in the targeted areas would annually earn a per capita income of VND3.5 million by 2010, and more than 80 per cent of the communes would have roads that are accessible at least by motorbike. Small irrigation projects would provide water to 85 per cent of wet rice cultivation.

All communes in the selected areas would build concrete schools and standardised health care units.

The programme also would help more than 80 per cent of the households attain hygienic water, and over 95 per cent of primary school students and another 75 per cent of secondary students would get free legal assistance.

Apart from State aid, the programme would encourage creativity and self-reliance within the given communities and among the poor.

The Deputy PM assigned the National Committee for Nationalities to work with ministries to implement the programme.