Comrades: Hau A Lenh, Member of the Party Central Committee, Minister, Chairman of the Ethnic Committee, Deputy Head of the Central Steering Committee for National Target Programs for the period 2021-2025; Y Vinh Tor, Alternate Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Minister, Deputy Head of the Ethnic Committee; Nguyen Lam Thanh, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly's Ethnic Council; Nguyen Huy Dung, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Committee of Thai Nguyen province co-chaired the Conference. Attending the Conference were leaders of ministries, branches, localities; Steering Committees for National Target Programs of 19 provinces in the Northern region.
Many targets have exceeded the set plan.
Speaking at the Conference, Chairman of Thai Nguyen Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Huy Dung emphasized: In recent times, along with the resources of the Central Government, Thai Nguyen has allocated many resources to prioritize socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas; contributing to improving people's lives, developing infrastructure and promoting local socio-economic development.
Up to now, 100% of communes in the province have car roads to the center; 100% of hamlets have national grid electricity; the poverty rate in ethnic minority and mountainous areas has decreased to 6.56%... Through this Conference, the Chairman of Thai Nguyen Provincial People's Committee hopes that from the implementation results of 18 other localities in the region, Thai Nguyen will have more experience and solutions to continue to effectively implement the Program in Phase II (2026-2030).
According to the report of the Central Steering Committee for National Target Programs presented by Deputy Minister, Vice Chairman of the Ethnic Committee Y Vinh Tor at the Conference, with the strong direction of the Government, the Prime Minister and the Head of the Central Steering Committee; the great efforts, determination and proactive coordination of the Program's governing body with ministries, central agencies, and members of the Working Group, up to now, the Central level has basically completed the task of developing and promulgating documents regulating and guiding the implementation of the National Target Program 1719.
Although the National Target Program 1719 was officially implemented from the second half of 2022, thanks to the efforts and proactiveness of many localities in the area in organizing implementation and integrating resources from other programs and projects in the province, some targets are estimated to have been completed by December 31, 2024, exceeding the assigned plan targets such as: The poverty reduction rate in ethnic minority areas of 19 provinces in the region has all been completed and exceeded the assigned targets, in which some localities have exceeded the targets assigned by the Prime Minister at a high level such as: Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Quang Ninh ...; The rate of villages with paved car roads to the center; The rate of ethnic minorities using hygienic water; The rate of primary, secondary and high school age students going to school; The rate of villages with community houses; Percentage of villages with traditional cultural and artistic teams (clubs) that operate regularly and have quality activities; Percentage of women giving birth at medical facilities or with the support of medical staff; Percentage of pregnant women receiving regular check-ups.
According to the plan, for the entire period of 2021 - 2025, the resources to implement the Program of 19 provinces: 47,157,367 billion VND, of which the central budget capital for investment support is 37,890,499 billion VND (Development investment capital is 20,520,339 billion VND, career capital is 17,370,160 billion VND), local budget capital is 9,274,140 billion VND, reaching 19.7% (Development investment capital is 8,036,421 million VND, career capital is 1,237,719 billion VND). Of the total local budget capital, the capital of 04 provinces and cities (Hanoi, Quang Ninh, Ninh Binh, Vinh Phuc) contributes 6,943,449 billion VND (accounting for 74.8% of the local budget capital of the region). Through synthesizing data on the allocation of counterpart funds to implement the Program, in addition to the 4 localities using 100% of local budget capital, some localities allocate at a relatively high rate, such as: Lao Cai 19.3%, Bac Giang 13.7%...
Early completion of some of the above targets is both a driving force for socio-economic development, hunger eradication and poverty reduction for the people, and at the same time helps localities allocate resources for other more difficult goals that require a higher level of concentration and longer implementation time.
On the other hand, with the Resolutions of the National Assembly, Resolutions, Decisions of the Government, the Prime Minister and Circulars, guiding documents of ministries, central agencies, directives and management documents of localities in the provinces of ethnic minorities and mountainous areas in the region have been issued promptly. In a short time, the system of guiding documents has been built, revised and supplemented, removing many difficulties and obstacles in policy mechanisms, ensuring that localities have a full legal basis and favorable conditions in organizing and implementing National Target Programs, including National Target Program 1719. This is the reason contributing to promoting the disbursement of implementation capital sources, especially public investment capital sources in accordance with the policies and directions of the Government and the Prime Minister. The Central Steering Committee also resolutely directed central and local ministries and branches to urgently and seriously organize implementation with the highest political determination to basically complete the goals and targets assigned by the National Assembly.
Therefore, the results of disbursement of public investment capital to implement the National Target Program 1719 in the provinces of ethnic minorities and mountainous areas in the Northern region have had many positive changes. The overall disbursement results of localities are higher than the overall disbursement results of public investment capital of the whole country and other National Target Programs.
In addition to the achieved results, the work of reviewing, developing and promulgating a number of regulations on management and implementation of the Program in some localities is still slow. The promulgation of policy mechanisms under the authority of localities is still delayed because many localities are still confused and have different understandings in the process of researching and implementing the central guidance documents. The allocation of capital in the spirit of Resolution No. 111/2024/QH15 of some localities is still slow, not meeting the requirements on time progress. Many localities have difficulty in balancing counterpart resources from the local budget to implement the Program because most of the provinces have low budget revenue, largely dependent on the central budget support. The integration of capital to implement the National Target Programs and the capital settlement process of localities are still confusing. Capital disbursement has changed a lot; however, the disbursement results have not been as expected, especially the career capital.
According to the synthesis from 19 localities in the Northern region, the results of capital disbursement to implement the National Target Program 1719 of the allocated capital for the period 2021-2024 up to September 30, 2024: Central budget capital reached 58.3% (Disbursement of investment capital reached 77.7%, career capital 35.2%); Local budget capital reached 75.7% (Disbursement of investment capital reached 77.2%, career capital 66.0%).
"Local decision, local action, local responsibility"
The report proposes a management mechanism and organization for the implementation of the Program Phase II according to the consistent principle that ministries and central agencies only perform the task of managing the general objectives by guiding localities to develop implementation projects and monitor and supervise the achievement of the program's objectives and targets according to the annual and phase-wide progress. Localities are fully proactive in planning, mobilizing and allocating resources, and organizing implementation to ensure that the roadmap is followed to achieve the annual and phase-wide objectives and targets according to the viewpoint of "locality decides, locality does, locality is responsible".
Proposing some main contents of the Phase II Program, which is to study and re-evaluate all goals and targets assigned by the National Assembly in Resolution 120/2020/QH14 to have a design to concentrate resources on the basis of prioritizing investment resources to complete the goals and targets for the entire period of 2021 - 2030.
Assign the Program's governing body to guide ministries, central agencies and localities to study and propose the development of Projects on the implementation of the National Target Program 1719 of localities in phase II from 2026 to 2030 within the framework of the component projects approved in Resolution 88/2019/QH14 of the National Assembly. Based on the specific socio-economic situation of sectors, fields and localities, the Projects for implementing the program phase II of each ministry, central agency and locality can choose and decide whether to continue or not to continue implementing a number of Projects, Sub-projects and contents of the Program phase II.
National Target Program 1719 Phase II ensures priority to solve 5 "mosts" in ethnic minority and mountainous areas
However, the proposed contents for the implementation of the Program in Phase II must closely follow the contents of the 10 component projects of the Program approved in Resolution 88/2019/QH14, in which the minimum priority must include 05 component contents to focus on synchronously solving the group of "05 most" issues that are still highly topical in the ethnic minority and mountainous areas, including: The most difficult infrastructure conditions; Lowest quality of human resources; The slowest socio-economic development; The most difficult access to services; The highest poverty rate. The content of the Program in Phase II needs to focus on the 05 main pillars as the basis for developing Projects, Sub-projects and the specific contents of the Implementation Project.
At the Conference, delegates discussed and highly appreciated the results of the implementation of the National Target Program 1719 for the period 2021-2025. Localities commented that the implementation of the Program has contributed to changing the face of ethnic minority and mountainous areas, improving and enhancing people's lives. Pointing out the difficulties and obstacles in the process of implementing the Program from institutions, subjects, localities, decentralization, delegation of powers, organizational apparatus... to specific obstacles of each project and sub-project, delegates proposed many solutions to implement the Program for the period 2026-2030.
Mr. Lo Van Tien, Vice Chairman of Dien Bien Provincial People's Committee, highly appreciated the organization of the Conference to evaluate the implementation of the National Target Program 1719 in the Northern region and said that the early organization of the Conference to evaluate the phase is the basis for adjusting the Program in the new phase to be more suitable to reality. According to Mr. Tien, the implementation of the National Target Program 1719 has contributed to the socio-economic development of the ethnic minority and mountainous areas of Dien Bien province in particular and other localities in the ethnic minority and mountainous areas. The greatest benefit of this Program is the change of perspective from support to investment in ethnic minority areas, this is a whole process. In addition, many programs and policies have been integrated into one National Target Program. Mr. Tien highly appreciated the role of the Ethnic Committee - the presiding agency that has made many efforts to advise the Government in the process of building and implementing this Program. Through the process of implementing the Program at the grassroots level, the role of ethnic minority agencies at all levels has been enhanced.
From the shortcomings and limitations in the implementation process, Mr. Tien suggested continuing to research and amend the Program in the new phase to be more practical, meeting the expectations of ethnic minorities.
As a locality using local budget capital, to effectively implement the National Target Program 1719 in the new period, Mr. Nguyen Nguyen Quan, Head of the Ethnic Minorities Committee of Hanoi City, proposed that the Central Government review and evaluate each indicator more carefully, and determine more suitable indicators for the next period. Carefully review the subjects and contents of the Program. Simplify investment procedures for projects with uncomplicated and small scale. The National Target Programs for the period 2026-2030 need to select project content and criteria suitable for each locality. Design the content of the Program management mechanism...
The new political task is placed on the shoulders of cadres working in ethnic affairs.
The National Assembly Ethnic Council will always accompany the implementation of the National Target Program 1719. The great political task in the new period is placed on the shoulders of cadres working in ethnic affairs, for the development of ethnic minority areas, meeting the aspirations of ethnic minorities.
Nguyen Lam Thanh Vice Chairman of the National Assembly's Council for Ethnic Minorities
Speaking at the Conference, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly's Ethnic Council Nguyen Lam Thanh said: The National Assembly always accompanies the agency working on ethnic affairs in the process of implementing ethnic policies. During this term, the National Assembly has conducted mid-term supervision of the implementation of 3 National Target Programs. This is a great concern of the National Assembly for ethnic minority areas, mountainous areas, rural areas, and areas with special difficulties. Besides the achievements, the implementation of the Program still has many difficulties and shortcomings. From the practice and lessons learned, it is the premise and basis for proposing the Program in the new period, contributing to changing people's lives and strengthening the great national unity bloc. In the new period, the implementation of the Program must be in the spirit of comprehensive and synchronous innovation from policies to related issues.
Mr. Nguyen Lam Thanh shared that the National Assembly Ethnic Council will always accompany the implementation of the National Target Program 1719. The great political task in the new period is placed on the shoulders of cadres working in ethnic affairs, for the development of ethnic minority areas, meeting the aspirations of ethnic minorities.
National Target Program 1719 for the 2026-2030 period must continue to thoroughly resolve the most fundamental and difficult problems of ethnic minority and mountainous areas.
Concluding the Conference, Minister and Chairman of the Ethnic Committee Hau A Lenh acknowledged and commended the opinions of the delegates attending the Conference and requested the departments and functional units of the Ethnic Committee to absorb, classify, fully record, answer, and advise on amending and supplementing the Program in the new period.
The Minister and Director highly appreciated the coordination of ministries, branches and localities in developing the report with full and concise information, orienting some key issues in the design of the Program in the next phase. The Minister and Director affirmed that the achievements are very proud, the legal document system has been fully and comprehensively completed, and the experience in operating and implementing the Program has been improved. In addition to the achieved results, there are still some problems, clearly identified, some contents have not kept up with reality, have not covered reality; problems in institutions, human resources, coordination, practical fluctuations, changes in subjects, areas, norms and new arising issues, it is necessary to create a timely adjustment mechanism.
The National Target Program 1719 for the 2026-2030 period must continue to thoroughly resolve the most fundamental and difficult problems of ethnic minority and mountainous areas. Focus on removing institutional bottlenecks. Innovate thinking and policy approaches.
Hau A Lenh Minister, Chairman of the Ethnic Committee
The Minister and Chairman requested ministries, branches and localities to continue reviewing and paying attention to groups of problems, especially the legal document system, investment procedures, direction and administration, objectives, scope of subjects, policy content, implementation resources, assignment, decentralization and delegation of authority.
According to Minister and Director Hau A Lenh, the National Target Program 1719 for the 2026-2030 period must continue to thoroughly resolve the most fundamental and difficult problems of ethnic minority and mountainous areas. Focus on removing institutional bottlenecks. Innovate thinking and policy approaches.
“In the new period, localities need to pay attention to reviewing, evaluating, arranging, and organizing the apparatus for ethnic work to be reasonable, streamlined, and operate effectively and efficiently. Localities need to proactively coordinate, create changes in ethnic work, and implement ethnic policies,” Minister and Head Hau A Lenh believes.
The ethnic minority and mountainous areas in the Northern region include 19 provinces, of which 04 provinces/cities implement the Program using local budget sources (Hanoi, Quang Ninh, Ninh Binh and Vinh Phuc). This is the area that accounts for the majority of communes and villages according to the delimitation of Decision No. 861/QD-TTg dated June 4, 2021 of the Prime Minister, the whole region has 2,057 communes (equal to 62% of the total number of communes in ethnic minority and mountainous areas), of which 1,020 communes are in region III (65.76% of the number of communes in region III nationwide), 137 communes are in region II and 900 communes are in region I with 9,623 extremely difficult villages (equal to 72.6% of the number of villages nationwide). The population of the whole region is about 27,680,622 people, of which 8,057,182 are ethnic minorities (accounting for about 29.1% of the region's population); the average ethnic minority poverty rate is 18.1% (2023 data).
Opening of the Conference to evaluate the implementation results of the National Target Program 1719 in the Northern region
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