More than 6,120 billion VND to support ethnic minorities in Nghe An

On the morning of June 6, the Ethnic Committee, the Provincial People's Council had a working session with the Departments of Planning and Investment and Finance under the program to monitor the implementation of investment in the development of ethnic minority groups with very few people and ethnic groups with many difficulties in the province from the beginning of 2017 to present. Ms. Lo Thi Kim Ngan - Standing Member of the Provincial People's Council, Head of the Ethnic Committee, the Provincial People's Council chaired the meeting. Photo: Mai Hoa

Many policies for ethnic minorities

Ethnic minorities, including very small ethnic minority groups and ethnic groups facing many difficulties in the province, are currently living in large areas with much untapped potential and difficult socio-economic conditions, requiring investment to exploit potentials and advantages and eliminate hunger and reduce poverty.

In recent times, the Party, the State and the province have had many investment policies and active implementation responsibilities from the province to the grassroots level, along with increased awareness among the people, creating many changes in traffic infrastructure, health care system, schools, including housing and means of production of the people; the poverty reduction rate each year reaches 5-7%.

Mr. Phan Van Hoan - Deputy Director of the Department of Planning and Investment said that it is necessary to consider and identify ethnic minority areas as special areas to focus on investment and development. Photo: Mai Hoa

Particularly for ethnic minority groups with very few people such as O Du, Dan Lai and ethnic groups with many difficulties such as Kho Mu, Mong, special attention is given.

According to a report from the Department of Finance, the Central Government has issued 17 policies related to supporting students, developing education and health care, vocational training for rural workers; policies on forest protection and development, building new rural areas, poverty reduction, etc.

The province has 5 policies related to poverty reduction support for communes with a poverty rate of 30% or more in addition to Resolution No. 30a/2008/NQ-CP for the period 2016 - 2020; support for livestock breeding models, preferential credit loan policies...

Ms. Dau Thi Minh Loan - Deputy Director of the Department of Finance reported on the total disbursement of investment projects for ethnic minority groups and disadvantaged ethnic groups. Photo: Mai Hoa

Many problems need to be evaluated

Based on direct supervision in the two districts of Ky Son and Con Cuong by the Ethnic Minorities Committee, the Provincial People's Council and the practical implementation of investment policies for ethnic minority areas in general, ethnic minority groups with very few people, and ethnic minorities with many difficulties in particular by the sectors; at the meeting, the participants discussed many shortcomings and limitations in the implementation process as well as the effectiveness of some contents that have not been as expected.

Most concerning is that the implementation of policies is still assigned to many central ministries and branches, and the provincial level is also assigned to many departments and branches, so there is a lack of synchronization and effectiveness.

Ms. Que Thi Tram Ngoc - Deputy Head of the Ethnic Committee, Provincial People's Council, gave an example of Vang Mon village, Nga My commune, Tuong Duong district, which invested in a community cultural house by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism with a total investment of more than 6 billion VND with the function of using about once a month, while the housing of the people is still very difficult.

Ms. Que Thi Tram Ngoc - Deputy Head of the Ethnic Minority Committee, Provincial People's Council pointed out some shortcomings and limitations in the implementation of projects for ethnic minority groups with very small populations and disadvantaged ethnic groups. Photo: Mai Hoa

Regarding the program of resettlement of residents in natural disaster areas, especially difficult areas, and border areas, according to Mr. Nguyen Van Hai - Secretary of Tuong Duong District Party Committee, member of the Ethnic Committee, Provincial People's Council, basic projects are prolonged, leading to price slippage, exceeding the total investment amount that must be adjusted and additional resources are difficult to allocate, and continue to be unfinished, creating a vicious cycle, affecting people's lives and activities.

Many opinions expressed concern about a series of issues related to building economic models to create sustainable livelihoods and reduce poverty, such as the situation of running out of money and models; the situation of people not being interested in support in kind, animals, and seedlings due to long distances and difficult travel; the motorbike taxi fare is sometimes more than the supported material; and the profit value for raising livestock per animal is low due to mainly manual farming.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hai - Secretary of Tuong Duong District Party Committee, member of the Ethnic Committee, Provincial People's Council, reflected on the prolonged basic residential resettlement projects. Photo: Mai Hoa

Based on the opinions of the members, concluding the meeting, Ms. Lo Thi Kim Ngan - Standing Member of the Provincial People's Council, Head of the Ethnic Minorities Committee, Provincial People's Council emphasized: The ethnic minority groups with very few people and the ethnic groups with many difficulties in the province, although accounting for a small proportion, do not therefore receive no attention, because these are ethnic groups with many difficulties and in fact have been issued by the Central Government through decisions, including Decision No. 2086 of the Prime Minister approving the project on Socio-economic Development of Ethnic Minorities with very few people in the period 2016 - 2025.

Members of the monitoring delegation of the Ethnic Committee and the Provincial People's Council at the meeting with departments and branches. Photo: Mai Hoa

In order for investment policies and projects in ethnic minority areas in general and ethnic groups with very few people and ethnic groups with many difficulties to be effective, creating equal development among ethnic groups; the Head of the Ethnic Committee and the Provincial People's Council requested that departments and branches need to evaluate the coordination mechanism, and proactively propose to the province as well as the central ministries and branches to clearly orient the development strategy as well as investment support programs and projects in a synchronous and effective manner; associated with improving the capacity to implement and manage programs and projects to ensure effectiveness, avoiding recent unfortunate mistakes and violations.

On the other hand, departments and branches need to review and re-evaluate implemented projects and models. Effective projects need to have solutions for replication, and ineffective projects need to be proposed for abolition or replacement.