After 3 years of implementing the National Target Program on Socio-Economic Development of Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas for the 2021-2030 period, Phase 1 from 2021-2025 (National Target Program 1719) has met the aspirations of the people, gradually bringing practical benefits, contributing to changing the face of ethnic minority and mountainous areas.
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Khmer people in Soc Don hamlet, Hung Hoi commune, Vinh Loi district join hands to build a green - clean - beautiful road, contributing to the increasingly improved appearance of the hamlet. (Photo: Phuong Nghi) |
The lives of ethnic minorities are changing.
Coming to the Khmer people in Hung Hoi commune (Vinh Loi district), walking on the green - clean - beautiful road, we clearly felt the changes of this countryside. Once poor hamlets of the commune, now the hamlets of Cu Lao, Cai Gia, Soc Don, Nuoc Man ... have been covered with a new appearance. From the commune center to the hamlets, the spaciousness from the brick houses, schools and Khmer pagodas make the hamlets more prosperous.
Arriving at Cai Gia - a hamlet where more than 80% of Khmer people live, we were overwhelmed by the beauty of the countryside and the people who are trying to build a model new rural hamlet. Following the Chief of Cai Gia hamlet, we went to the house of Mr. Danh Sua, a typical Khmer farmer who is hardworking and determined to get rich. After months of hardship, his family's life is now prosperous with an income of more than 100 million VND/year.
Mr. Danh Sua said: “In addition to being excited because the family economy is gradually stabilizing, the people here are also very happy that many roads have been invested in and built, and the market system has also been upgraded and repaired. Currently, with the attention and support of all levels and sectors, most Khmer people have changed their awareness and are enthusiastic about doing business to escape poverty.”
Mr. Le Minh Thanh, Head of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions of Vinh Loi district said: “In recent years, the lives of Khmer people in Vinh Loi district have improved in all aspects. Many households have proactively applied new models in production, providing stable income; thanks to that, the number of poor households has gradually decreased, the number of well-off households has increased. This has inspired the will and determination to rise up on their own, not waiting for or relying on preferential policies and support from the State; thereby, more and more Khmer families have overcome difficulties and escaped poverty, actively contributing to movements, especially in the construction of new rural areas in the locality”.
Dau Sau Tay, Loc Ninh commune (Hong Dan district) is the hamlet with the largest Khmer population in Bac Lieu province (over 95%). Thanks to the attention of the local government, many models and creative approaches have been implemented to help people change their thinking and proactively develop their family economy.
Mr. Danh Nuol, a Khmer farmer in Dau Sau Tay hamlet, shared: “In the past, my family’s economy faced many difficulties. But since the Commune Veterans Association created conditions for me to access preferential policy capital sources, participate in training courses, receive technical support, etc., I have learned how to use capital reasonably in production as well as keep up with technical advances to apply, so my life has become more and more prosperous.
Not only me but many other families in the hamlet are the same, some even built spacious houses, their children went to school properly... All of the above changes are thanks to the attention of the Party and State for the Khmer people".
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Mr. Danh Nuol takes care of his chickens with preferential loans from the Social Policy Bank according to Decree No. 28/2022/ND-CP of the Government on preferential credit policies to implement the National Target Program 1719. (Photo: Phuong Nghi) |
Mr. Vo Van Thum, Chairman of Loc Ninh commune, said: In recent years, Loc Ninh has paid great attention to taking care of the lives of ethnic minorities, especially poor households; through supporting charity houses, loans, seedlings, means of production, etc. In particular, from programs and policies to support ethnic minorities, many bridges and roads have been built, vocational training organized, job introduction, preferential credit support, etc. have been built, contributing to improving the material and spiritual life of ethnic minorities. Above all, thanks to the good application of policies for ethnic minorities and programs to support production development in new rural construction, poor households in the commune have decreased rapidly and sustainably, while the number of well-off and rich households has increased. If at the beginning of 2022, Loc Ninh still had 34 poor ethnic minority households, by the end of the year there were only 24 poor ethnic minority households (accounting for 5.2% of the total number of ethnic households)".
Prioritize comprehensive development of ethnic minority areas
In the period of 2021-2025, Bac Lieu will implement the National Target Program on Socio-Economic Development of Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas (Program 1719) in 14 communes, wards and towns in ethnic minority areas, with the central government allocating VND 58.4 billion and more than VND 8.7 billion (15% counterpart from the province).
Mr. Luong Van Pho, Deputy Head of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions of Bac Lieu province, said: In 2022 and 2023, the province's public capital and counterpart funds were nearly 47 billion VND, Bac Lieu implemented 8/10 projects under the Program. However, 2 projects could not be disbursed due to lack of implementation areas, capital allocation and beneficiaries (including project 6 on preserving and promoting traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities).
“During the implementation process, Bac Lieu has implemented relatively complete mechanisms, regulations, and guidelines for managing and implementing the Program; allocating central resources, local counterpart funds, and issuing implementation plans, specifically identifying policies to be implemented in the province according to regulations. Some localities have also gradually disbursed projects and sub-projects assigned to them, promptly supported the construction of houses for subjects according to regulations, and the support for people to borrow capital under Project 1 (Solving the shortage of residential land, housing, production land, and domestic water; Developing agricultural and forestry economy and increasing people's income; Investing in essential infrastructure, serving production and life in ethnic minority areas) has been approved by the Provincial People's Committee for the list of beneficiaries...”, Mr. Pho said.
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The capital from the 1719 Program to support career conversion has helped many Khmer ethnic households in Vinh Thinh commune, Hoa Binh district have a stable income. (Photo: Phuong Nghi) |
Program 1719 has helped ethnic people Overcoming difficulties, having more motivation to develop the economy, building a prosperous life. Mr. Phan Thanh Duy, Vice Chairman of Bac Lieu Provincial People's Committee: "In the process of effective implementation of the Program, it will have a great, positive impact on the lives of ethnic minorities. Bac Lieu invests in a focused, key and sustainable manner, focusing on the most difficult communes, hamlets and quarters; solving the most pressing and urgent problems. Ensuring publicity, democracy, promoting the right to ownership and active, proactive participation of the community and people; promoting the spirit of striving of ethnic minorities. The province strives to increase the capital disbursement rate in 2022 and 2023 to 90% of the total allocated capital; adjusting the housing and land policy support level of project 1 to 46 million VND/case; project 6 adds 3 more implementation contents".
It can be seen that the synchronous and effective implementation of ethnic programs and policies at all levels and sectors has helped improve the appearance of areas with a large ethnic minority population; the material and spiritual life of the people has been improved. This is the basis for Bac Lieu to continue to prioritize the synchronous implementation of solutions for socio-economic development in areas with a large ethnic minority population.
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