A fulcrum for ethnic minorities in Tra Vinh to rise up and stabilize their lives

Recently, policies for ethnic minorities in Tra Vinh have been effective, many households in remote areas have had the opportunity to escape poverty.

After 3 years of implementing the National Target Program on Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas for the 2021-2030 period, Phase I from 2021-2025 (abbreviated as National Target Program 1719), up to now, positive results have been promoted, many projects and sub-projects have initially brought about clear results, supporting people, especially ethnic minorities, to develop the economy, gradually escape poverty, and improve living standards.

Mr. Kien Nhu, Don Chum Hamlet (Tan Son Commune, Tra Cu District) takes care of cows with loan capital under Decree No. 28/2022/ND-CP of the Government. (Photo: Phuong Nghi)

Promoting the effectiveness of Program 1719

Tra Cu is a poor, remote district of Tra Vinh province, where over 62% of the Khmer people live. We had the opportunity to visit some areas where many Khmer people live. People's lives have changed significantly thanks to the State's investment in rural infrastructure, production investment, especially the effective implementation of policy credit capital.

To help people improve their lives, in addition to general policies, ethnic minorities in disadvantaged areas are entitled to special support policies. Mr. Kien Nhu (Don Chum Hamlet, Tan Son Commune) is one of the households that has escaped poverty thanks to state support.

Mr. Kien Nhu said: “Previously, due to the lack of arable land and capital for investment in production, poverty always clung to his family. In 2022, the local authorities considered lending him a loan of 50 million VND according to Decree No. 28/2022/ND-CP of the Government on preferential policies for implementing the National Target Program 1719 to raise cows. In 2023, the Commune Farmers' Association supported him with an additional loan of 20 million VND from the Association's revolving capital contribution fund to expand livestock farming and grow 1 more hectare of lemons from his family's ineffective rice land."

Thanks to his diligence, hard work and thrift, Mr. Nhu's family gradually improved their lives. In 2022, he voluntarily applied to escape poverty. Mr. Kien Nhu shared: "My family used to be in difficult circumstances, under great economic pressure. With support from loans to raise cows and grow lemons, I learned how to use capital reasonably in production as well as grasp technical advances to apply, so life has become more and more prosperous."

Ms. Son Thi Thieng, Head of the Ethnic Minorities Department of Tra Cu district, said: From 2018 to now, from the capital allocated by the Central and local governments, communes and towns in the district have implemented housing support policies for nearly 300 households, supported residential land for 19 households and converted jobs for more than 100 households. In addition, the district has implemented 27 projects to support production development for over 300 households with a total budget of over 20 billion VND. By the end of 2022, the number of poor households according to multidimensional criteria in Tra Cu will be 4.47%; the average income will reach 58 million VND/person/year.

“Thanks to the policies of the Party and the State, not only have people been motivated to work hard and practice thrift, but they have also changed their outdated farming practices and customs by boldly transforming the structure of crops and livestock and applying scientific and technological advances to production. As a result, many households have improved their lives,” said Ms. Thieng.

A household in Lac Son hamlet (Thanh Hoa Son commune, Cau Ngang district, Tra Vinh province) was excited when the government considered supporting a house under the National Target Program 1719. (Photo: Phuong Nghi)

The National Target Program 1719 has created a foundation for the Khmer people to rise up and stabilize their lives. Thanh Hoa Son (Cau Ngang district) is a commune with more than 70% Khmer people.

Mr. Le Van Phuoc, Chairman of Thanh Hoa Son Commune, said: From the beginning of 2023 to now, implementing the National Target Program 1719, Thanh Hoa Son has promoted the construction of infrastructure, supporting investment in production, residential land, housing, clean water... Up to now, the District Social Policy Bank has invested in more than 70 poor households, near-poor households and Khmer households to borrow a total capital of more than 6 billion VND to develop production and build houses.

“In particular, Thanh Hoa Son has implemented the construction of 15 houses for households with housing difficulties (of which the support fund is 40 million VND and creates conditions for loans of 50 million VND) and from Project 1 of ethnic minorities in mountainous areas, implemented since 2022, it has supported the construction of 28 houses. By the end of 2023, the commune strives to basically solve housing problems for poor households, especially poor households with housing difficulties who are Khmer people,” said Mr. Phuoc.

Investing in many public works

Along with investing in infrastructure to serve production, Tra Vinh focuses on investment capital to support production development, diversify livelihoods, replicate poverty reduction models; implement policies to support housing, residential land, production land, vocational training, job creation...

In 2023, implementing the National Target Program 1719, Tra Vinh was allocated over 451 billion VND; of which the Central Budget is over 407.2 billion VND. According to the plan, the province will focus on supporting residential land for more than 40 ethnic minority households, housing for more than 525 households, job conversion for about 275 households, distributed domestic water for 38 households, investment in the construction of two centralized water works...

Along with that, the province built 58 new essential infrastructure works to serve production and life in ethnic minority areas; continued to implement 16 transitional works in 2022; maintained and repaired 36 works; invested in construction, renovation and upgrading of 6 market works in ethnic minority areas.

With preferential policy capital under Decree No. 28/2022/ND-CP on preferential policies for implementing the National Target Program 1719, Mr. Danh Henl in Soc Ruong Hamlet (Ngu Lac Commune, Duyen Hai District, Tra Vinh Province) implemented a chili growing model that helped him and many Khmer households improve their lives. (Photo: Phuong Nghi)

Mr. Le Van Han, Chairman of Tra Vinh Provincial People's Committee emphasized: The life of ethnic minorities in the province has been constantly improving, which is the result of timely implementation of many resolutions and policies. In particular, Resolution No. 04/2021/NQ-HDND dated March 19, 2021 of Tra Vinh Provincial People's Council "Regulations on housing improvement support policies for poor and near-poor households in the period 2021-2025", Tra Vinh supports housing for 2,418 poor and near-poor households.

Of which, the budget entrusted through the Provincial Social Policy Bank Branch supports 1,052 poor and near-poor households to borrow capital to build houses; the Provincial Social Security Fund supports 910 houses, the rest comes from the Provincial and District Funds for the Poor.

It can be said that in recent times, policies for ethnic minorities in Tra Vinh have been effective, many ethnic households in remote areas have been able to escape poverty. The lives of ethnic minorities today are changing day by day, demonstrating the correct implementation of guidelines, policies and guidelines for ethnic minorities.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/diem-tua-de-dong-bao-dan-toc-tai-tra-vinh-vuon-len-on-dinh-cuoc-song-250029.html