Expanding the war on poverty

Hanoi (VNA) - A grassroots campaign is being organised by the Government to
execute its new anti-poverty plan to lift 2.4 million people living in the most
disadvantaged areas out of poverty by 2020.

The plan, comprised of a package of measures to combat poverty and attain
sustainable development in the nation's 61 poorest districts, was announced under
a recent Government resolution.

"Mass mobilization will ensure practical results that best benefit the poor and
prevent possible corruption," said deputy head of the Social Welfare Protection
Department in the Ministry of Labour War Invalids and Social Affairs Ngo Truong
Thi on Jan. 13.

"It is a new approach in fighting poverty, very different from previous similar
programmes," Thi said.

"Direct dialogues have been undertaken with the masses in some provinces, like Dak
Lak in the Central Highlands, to learn about what they truly need for their
lives".

"People will be encouraged to participate in implementing small construction
projects, so that they will be more responsible and be able to generate additional
income".

Those families will also be supported with 15 kilogrammes of rice per person a
month, if they cannot afford food for a maximum period of seven years. The
government will also give 5 million VND/ha to produce food on the land.

The State will allocate them 50 percent of the interest from commercial bank loans
used for agricultural production and processing.

Additionally, funding will go to the purchase of seedlings and fertilisers for
farming restructure; priority will be given to planting hybrid rice and maize.

Each district will be allocated 100 million VND (5,880 USD) per year to promote
trading and marketing of local products, as well as to bring market information to
farmers.

Policies will be implemented to lure organisations and scientists, who are devoted
to research and application of advanced science and technology in localities.

Thi said the second most important measure is to target education and training for
the poor.

"It is impossible to get rid of poverty with a lack of schooling," he said.

The plan facilitates the construction of boarding schools for ethnic minority
students, houses for teachers at villages and home-based training of cadres, who
are to become key human resources for their districts.

The Government will focus on vocational skill and foreign language training for
the youth to provide workers for enterprises and labour export.

Under the plan, 8,000 workers in total (10 from each commune) will be sent to work
abroad each year.

He also added that essential infrastructure items such as schools, water works and
roads linking districts and villages will be built.

Thi said each of 61 districts will be asked to map out their own plan from now to
2015 with specific targets and tasks for each year before gaining approval from
their province's heads and examination from the Ministry of Planning and
Investment.
"The scheme will be operational by June," he said.-Enditem