For the purpose of economic development

The National Target Program for Socio -Economic Development of Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Regions, Phase 1 (2021-2025), approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 1719/QD-TTg dated October 14, 2021 (National Target Program 1719), is a major policy decision for the comprehensive development of ethnic minority and mountainous regions. Under the direction of the Government, the Committee for Ethnic Minorities Affairs, and relevant ministries and agencies, Phu Tho province has made efforts to implement the program, gradually resolving difficulties and obstacles, and accelerating the disbursement of funds for the National Target Program 1719.

For the purpose of socio-economic development in ethnic minority areas.

Expediting the disbursement of funds from the National Target Program 1719 will create momentum for ethnic minority and mountainous communities in the province, including Thanh Son district, to preserve, conserve, and promote traditional cultural values.

Obstacles hindering disbursement progress.

Looking back at more than half of Phase 1, the implementation of this important policy in the province has yielded noteworthy initial results. The program has contributed to changing the face of ethnic minority areas in terms of socio-economic infrastructure, people's awareness, skills, and production capacity. People in ethnic minority areas of the province are conscious of caring for their personal and family lives, the economy is developing, income from production and business activities is increasing, regional cultural characteristics continue to be promoted and preserved, and the quality of life is increasingly enhanced. The poverty rate is lower each year than the previous year, and the economic, cultural, and social gap between ethnic minority areas and other regions is narrowing. Several bright spots have emerged in socio-economic development and the preservation and development of culture.

However, the implementation of the Fatherland Front's Program 1719 has also encountered many difficulties and obstacles affecting the disbursement of funds. From 2022 to the end of 2024, the central government budget allocated to the Program was nearly 720 billion VND, of which nearly 200 billion VND has been disbursed. It is evident that the disbursement of funds is still slow, impacting the results of the Program 1719 implementation.

The slow disbursement of funds from the Fatherland Front's Program 1719 in the province is due to several reasons. Firstly, there are difficulties and obstacles in the implementation guidelines. Although the program has been implemented for three years, the guidelines still have some unresolved issues. Practical implementation of projects, sub-projects, and component contents still faces many challenges not covered in the guidelines from central ministries and agencies. Some regulations of the Bidding Law, with their lengthy procedures, affect the progress of project, sub-project, and component content implementation. Furthermore, the mechanism for allocating the program's operational funds is inadequate; instead of allocating a total budget for the entire 2021-2025 period, detailed annual allocations for each project and component are provided, making it difficult for localities to implement and balance matching funds.

Furthermore, specific conditions and difficulties in the implementation process at the local level have also slowed down the disbursement of funds under the Program. In reality, the beneficiaries of some projects and components of the Program overlap or have already received support from other programs and policies, resulting in a shortage or lack of eligible beneficiaries for disbursement as planned when funds are allocated. In addition, some district-level units have been inaccurate in the process of reviewing and identifying beneficiaries; and have not accurately determined the needs for development investment capital in line with the actual implementation... causing difficulties in disbursing funds.

Comrade Do Thi Phuong Hoa - Head of the Ethnic Affairs Department of Thanh Son district shared: “To date, there are no regulations on the classification of mountainous, midland, and lowland communes, causing great difficulties for the district in organizing the implementation of some policies related to geographical areas. Collecting information and identifying ethnic minority and lowland areas is hampered by the lack of specific expenditures from the central to local statistical systems... causing difficulties in implementing the contents and projects under the Program, slowing down the disbursement of funds.”

The slow disbursement of funds under the National Target Program 1719 has resulted in the implementation of projects and sub-projects not meeting the planned schedule, requiring provinces, sectors, and localities to continue closely following the direction and guidance from higher levels, and to gradually overcome difficulties based on the actual situation.

For the purpose of socio-economic development in ethnic minority areas.

Implement rural infrastructure construction projects using funds from the National Target Program 1719 in Yen Lap district.

Efforts to overcome difficulties

To accelerate progress and quickly bring resources into practice, creating momentum for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, the province has implemented many solutions. The province has issued comprehensive and timely directives for relevant sectors and localities to organize implementation. Simultaneously, it has directed the Provincial Ethnic Affairs Committee to develop and issue guidance documents and conduct field surveys to thoroughly understand the difficulties and obstacles, promptly working with localities to resolve issues and ensure that policies are implemented correctly for the intended beneficiaries, without leaving any eligible individuals behind. The Provincial People's Committee has also organized conferences to evaluate and provide feedback on resolving difficulties and obstacles in implementing the Fatherland Front Program 1719 in the province...

In particular, the timely implementation of Resolution 111/2024/QH15 of the National Assembly dated January 18, 2024, on some specific mechanisms and policies for implementing national target programs, through the Provincial People's Committee reporting and advising the Provincial People's Council to issue a resolution adjusting the capital source, has helped overcome many difficulties and accelerate the disbursement of funds.

To accelerate the disbursement of funds for the effective implementation of the Program's projects, the province focuses on completing the drafting and issuance of guiding and operational documents to ensure compliance with regulations and suitability to the local situation. Investment is prioritized and sustainable, based on geographical areas and beneficiaries, addressing the most pressing issues of each program regarding socio-economic infrastructure and activities meeting production needs in ethnic minority and mountainous regions.

The Provincial Ethnic Affairs Committee continues to advise on and effectively implement the Resolutions of the Provincial People's Council and the directives and instructions of the Provincial People's Committee related to ethnic affairs. Mr. Truong Tien Quan, Deputy Head of the Provincial Ethnic Affairs Committee, stated: “The Committee continues to strengthen its monitoring and assessment of the situation in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, promptly providing information and reports on ethnic affairs and policies to address emerging issues within its authority, while also recommending solutions to higher authorities to overcome difficulties and obstacles in the implementation of ethnic programs, projects, and policies. We will also intensify propaganda efforts to attract and mobilize ethnic minority communities to participate in the implementation of programs and projects...”

The province also proposed that the Central Government and relevant ministries and agencies promptly amend and supplement Decision 1719/QD-TTg to facilitate the implementation of projects, sub-projects, and component contents by localities. At the same time, it requested a timely review, amendment, supplementation, and replacement of decisions, decrees, and circulars to ensure that the system of legal documents is "clear in terms of subjects, content, norms, and settlement procedures, and is consistent with actual conditions" for the implementation of projects and sub-projects under the Program. This aims to resolve difficulties and obstacles so that localities have sufficient grounds for implementation.

Comment (0)