Promoting sustainable development of ethnic minority areas in the Central Highlands

On the morning of November 9, the Conference to evaluate the implementation results of the National Target Program on Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas for the 2021-2030 period in the Central Highlands region took place in Pleiku city, Gia Lai province.

Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh, Head of the Central Steering Committee for National Target Programs for the 2021-2025 period, speaks at the Conference. (Source: VNA)

The conference took place under the chairmanship of Mr. Nguyen Hoa Binh, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister, Head of the Central Steering Committee for National Target Programs for the period 2021-2025; Mr. Do Van Chien, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front; Mr. Hau A Lenh, Party Central Committee member, Minister, Chairman of the Ethnic Committee; leaders of central ministries, branches and 16 provinces in the Central and Central Highlands regions.

This is an important event to evaluate the achievements in phase 1 (2021-2025) and orient and propose contents for phase 2 (2026-2030) focusing on the Central Highlands region.

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh emphasized that the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas is not only the responsibility of the State but also requires strong participation from the entire political system and community.

The Permanent Deputy Prime Minister affirmed the need to promote the achieved results, overcome shortcomings and limitations, and promote closer coordination between central and local ministries and branches in implementing programs and projects, ensuring feasibility and highest efficiency.

In particular, it is necessary to focus on developing infrastructure, education, healthcare and proposing sustainable solutions for the development of ethnic minority areas to be implemented in the upcoming phase 2.

To promote socio-economic development of ethnic minority areas in the Central Highlands and Central Vietnam in phase 2 (2026-2030), Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh requested localities to continue exploiting local potential, innovate and ensure social security. The main goal is to reduce poverty rapidly, narrow the gap in living standards and income compared to the national average, and reduce the number of extremely disadvantaged communes and villages.

The consensus of authorities at all levels and the community is the decisive key for this program to truly bring practical benefits to ethnic minorities and mountainous areas, contributing to the overall development of the country.

According to the Ethnic Committee, the Central and Central Highlands regions currently have 445 communes in region 1, 66 communes in region 2, 476 communes in region 3 and 3,243 extremely disadvantaged villages, accounting for 24.53% of the total extremely disadvantaged villages in ethnic minority and mountainous areas nationwide. The population of this region is over 21 million people; of which more than 3.6 million people belong to 53 ethnic minorities, accounting for about 17% of the population.

Delegates discussed and proposed many important contents for the Program in phase 2 (2026-2030). (Source: VNA)

In the 2021-2025 period, the total expected resources to implement the program are over VND 22,560 billion, of which the central budget is over VND 20,500 billion. As of September 30, 2024, 16 provinces in the Central and Central Highlands regions have disbursed over VND 12,900 billion, reaching 60.6% of the plan. Notably, the disbursement rate of investment capital of the Program reached 74.3%, 3 times higher than the general disbursement rate of investment capital of the whole country at 57.7%.

Support policies have been implemented synchronously, contributing to improving the material and spiritual life of ethnic minorities. Many projects on infrastructure development, education, health and production have been implemented, creating many job opportunities and improving income for people. The poverty rate in ethnic minority areas has so far reached an average of 5.2%/year; the average income of the Central and Central Highlands provinces has reached 34.5 million VND/person/year, 2.5 times higher than the average income of ethnic minorities at the beginning of the period.

The rate of ethnic minorities participating in health insurance is over 92%; nearly 100% of communes and villages in ethnic minority areas have access to clean water, national grid electricity and paved or concrete roads. Nearly 90% of schools and classrooms are solidly built. These results confirm the effectiveness of the support programs that have been implemented.

According to the assessment of the Central Steering Committee for National Target Programs, although the National Target Program for Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas has only been officially implemented since the second half of 2022, thanks to the efforts and proactiveness of many localities in organizing and integrating resources from other programs and projects, some targets in phase 1 are estimated to be completed by December 31, 2024, exceeding the assigned plan targets.

The early completion of some targets in phase 1 is both a driving force for socio-economic development, hunger eradication and poverty reduction for the people, and helps localities allocate resources to other more difficult goals that require a higher level of concentration and longer implementation time.

At the conference, delegates discussed and proposed many important contents for the Program in phase 2 (2026-2030). Opinions focused on the need for priority policies for remote and disadvantaged areas. Continue to improve support policies, especially infrastructure development, improve the quality of education and vocational training to create quality human resources to meet the sustainable development needs of ethnic minority areas.

In addition, it is necessary to support production, improve income for ethnic minorities, ensure gender equality, solve urgent problems for women and children, and promote sustainable economic development associated with preserving cultural identity.

Gia Lai Provincial Party Secretary Ho Van Nien said that after 3 years (from 2022 to present), with the efforts and determination of the entire political system and the initiative of the people of all ethnic groups in the province, the Program has created positive changes contributing to improving and enhancing the lives of ethnic minorities in the province.

The total disbursed capital of the Program from 2022 to present has exceeded 1,200 billion VND, reaching 54.5% of the total allocated capital. Some targets have been completed early, such as: the rate of poor households of ethnic minorities has decreased annually by over 3%; essential infrastructure serving production and life in the region has been focused on investment; the traffic network has been connected from the provincial center to villages and hamlets; the fields of culture, health, education have been upgraded and newly equipped...

However, the implementation of the Program in some localities has not met expectations; some contents, sub-projects and projects are still confused in applying regulations and instructions of central ministries and branches, leading to slow implementation and low disbursement rate.

Gia Lai province proposed that the Government and central ministries and branches pay attention to supplementing resources for localities, especially increasing the investment capital ratio compared to phase I (2021-2025), in which investment capital is at least 70%, and career capital is about 30%.

It is necessary to develop a flexible capital allocation mechanism, prioritizing the needs of the locality and the direct implementing unit; assigning the authority to allocate detailed capital for projects, sub-projects, and contents of the Program to the provincial level for implementation. This will create flexibility and responsibility for local authorities in using capital sources.

Vice Chairman of Phu Yen Provincial People's Committee Dao My said that in phase 2, the Government and central ministries and branches need to develop guidelines or have specific priority mechanisms to mobilize and allocate official development assistance (ODA) capital to increase investment capital for the Program.

At the same time, it is necessary to have specific incentive policies to mobilize and attract key partners, investors, and enterprises to invest in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, as well as to train and employ ethnic minority workers. In addition, it is proposed to allow the disbursement of the Program's capital in 3 implementation phases, creating conditions for localities to have time to effectively implement programs and projects.

At the conference, the Steering Committee for National Target Programs set out goals for the 2026-2030 period, striving for an average income of half the national average; reducing the poverty rate to below 10%; no more extremely disadvantaged communes and villages; 70% of communes meeting new rural standards; eliminating temporary housing and maintaining forest coverage above 85%...

These goals demonstrate the determination of the Party and State in caring for and improving the lives of ethnic minorities in the Central and Central Highlands regions, contributing to promoting the comprehensive development of the country.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/day-manh-phat-trien-ben-vung-vung-dong-bao-dan-toc-thieu-so-mien-trung-tay-nguyen-293202.html