Accelerating the implementation of the National Target Program for Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas

On the afternoon of January 2, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang attended and directed the national online conference to review ethnic work in 2023 and deploy tasks for 2024. At the Binh Thuan bridge, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Hong Hai chaired the conference.

At the conference, the Ethnic Committee, ministries, branches and localities focused on evaluating the results of the implementation of the 2023 ethnic work, ethnic programs and policies, and lessons learned. Accordingly, ethnic work has been directed and coordinated by the Party, the State, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the entire political system; the society and especially the ethnic minorities nationwide have paid attention and followed up, which is an important driving force. Thanks to that, the implementation of the 2023 ethnic work has achieved many important results, especially in the implementation of ethnic programs and policies, contributing to socio-economic development, ensuring national defense and security in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in particular and the whole country in general.

In addition, the Ethnic Committee coordinates with ministries and branches to carry out tasks with focus, key points, close to reality, meeting the requirements of the tasks. Information, propaganda, digital transformation and dissemination and education of laws for ethnic minorities are enhanced; international cooperation on ethnic affairs continues to be promoted; the capacity of cadres working on ethnic affairs is gradually improved.

One of the issues that delegates focused on analyzing and discussing was the implementation process of the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas (abbreviated as the Program) in 2023. According to the report of the Ministry of Finance, the disbursement of public investment capital of the Program in 2023 (including investment capital in 2022 extended to 2023) was about 13,567 billion VND, reaching 81.5% of the plan. Of which, 34 localities had a disbursement rate of over 60% of the capital plan in 2023, while 3 localities had a disbursement rate of less than 30% of the capital plan in 2023 (Dak Lak, An Giang and Bac Lieu).

In Binh Thuan, the national target program phase I from 2021 to 2025 is considered a special policy in implementing the goal of sustainable development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas. At this time, the implementation of the program has initially promoted the spirit of efforts of ethnic minority people... Up to now, the production and life of ethnic minority people are basically stable with crops of high economic value, thanks to which, the average income per capita in ethnic minority areas (17 pure communes) is 21.07 million VND/person/year, equal to 52.41% of the average income of the whole province. Regarding the results of poverty reduction work, by the end of 2022, there were 2,801 poor ethnic minority households, accounting for 10.78% of the total number of ethnic minority households and 32.35% of the total number of poor households in the whole province...

ethnicity-1.jpg.jpg — One of the unique festivals of the Cham people.

In addition to the achieved results, ethnic work still has some difficulties and limitations such as the slow development of the economy in ethnic minority and mountainous areas compared to the potential of the region. Poverty reduction has made progress, but is not sustainable; the quality of education and human resources in ethnic minority and mountainous areas is still low. In some places, the grassroots political system is still weak, the quality of the staff is not up to par... In addition, the Ethnic Committee assessed that the implementation of the Program is still confused about the mechanism, slow implementation, and low disbursement rate. The projects and sub-projects of the Program have not been implemented synchronously, some sub-projects have not been implemented, and some localities have returned capital because there are no beneficiaries.

Harvesting hybrid corn in ethnic minority areas.

In 2024, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang requested to promote good implementation and fundamental changes in the progress and quality of the 3 National Target Programs, focusing on the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas. The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that it is necessary to complete the Project to adjust investment policies according to the Resolution of the National Assembly, focusing on removing difficulties and obstacles in implementing the Program.

To implement the Program in accordance with practical conditions, the Government proposes that the National Assembly soon allow adjustments to the Program's investment policy in Resolution 120, dated June 19, 2020 of the National Assembly. On that basis, the Government and the Prime Minister direct the Ethnic Committee and relevant ministries and branches to complete the review and synthesis of documents to submit to competent authorities on the proposal to adjust a number of investment contents in Decision 1719, dated October 14, 2021 of the Prime Minister.

Mr. VAN

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