Spreading the "Gratitude and Repayment" movement.
Recognizing that caring for families of policy beneficiaries and those who have rendered meritorious services to the revolution is an important and ongoing political task and a responsibility of the entire society, in recent years, the Party committees and authorities at all levels in Nghe An province have implemented many specific and practical actions, contributing to improving the material and spiritual lives of those who have rendered meritorious services, demonstrating the national tradition of "drinking water, remembering the source".
On the occasion of the 77th anniversary of the Day of War Invalids and Martyrs (July 27, 1947 – July 27, 2024), Nghe An Newspaper had an interview with Ms. Ho Thi Chau Loan – Deputy Director of the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs – regarding this issue.
PV:Over the years, the implementation of policies for war veterans and the "Gratitude and Repayment" movement have received special attention from the Party and the State. Could you please tell us how these activities have been implemented in the province?
Ms. Ho Thi Chau Loan:During the nation's protracted resistance wars, along with the rest of the country, Nghe An province had tens of thousands of outstanding sons and daughters who joined the army, volunteer youth, and civilian laborers on the front lines across the battlefields. More than 45,000 sons and daughters of Nghe An bravely sacrificed their lives; more than 56,000 wounded and sick soldiers left a part of their blood and bones on the battlefield.
Currently, the province has 65,417 people with meritorious service receiving monthly allowances, including 3 veteran revolutionaries, 33 pre-revolution cadres, 35 Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, 19 Heroes of the People's Armed Forces and Labor Heroes during the resistance war; 29,619 wounded soldiers and those receiving benefits similar to wounded soldiers; 9,051 sick soldiers; 13,102 people who participated in the resistance war and their children affected by chemical toxins; 6 people who contributed to the revolution; 1,103 people who served people with meritorious service; 354 people who participated in the resistance war and were captured and imprisoned by the enemy; 12,902 people receiving martyr's death benefits and other beneficiaries.
Imbued with the moral principles of "Drinking water, remember the source" and "Showing gratitude and repaying kindness," the Party Committee, government, and people of Nghe An province have consistently shown deep concern and effectively implemented the work of "Showing gratitude and repaying kindness" to remember and honor the contributions of heroic martyrs, wounded soldiers, sick soldiers, and those who have rendered meritorious services to the revolution.
Policies and regulations for war veterans and their families have always been given attention and implemented promptly. In addition to regular and one-time allowances, from 2022 to June 2024, the province provided convalescent care for 51,099 war veterans and their relatives; supported 6,080 people with assistive devices and orthopedic equipment; provided educational and training incentives for 3,280 war veterans and their children; and purchased health insurance for over 154,000 war veterans and their relatives who met the eligibility criteria.
In addition, the work of searching for, collecting, and identifying the remains of martyrs whose information is incomplete has been emphasized. From 2022 to the present, the province has searched for and collected 381 remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Laos, and reburied them at the Nghi Loc District Martyrs' Cemetery; carried out procedures to adjust and supplement information on 84 gravestones of martyrs buried in the area; requested competent authorities to identify the remains of martyrs whose information is incomplete for 235 graves using the empirical method; and carried out procedures to request competent authorities to conduct DNA testing to identify the remains of 110 martyrs…
In particular, along with the effective implementation of preferential policies for those who have rendered meritorious services to the revolution, in recent years, the "Gratitude and Repayment" movement, supporting those who have rendered meritorious services with difficult circumstances regarding housing, providing care and support for Vietnamese Heroic Mothers; helping and creating conditions for those who have rendered meritorious services and their families to develop economically, eradicate hunger and reduce poverty... has been actively responded to by Party committees, authorities, the Fatherland Front and political and social organizations, and all strata of people in the province. In more than two years (2022 - June 2024), the entire province has mobilized over 41 billion VND for the "Gratitude and Repayment" Fund. From the "Gratitude and Repayment" Fund and contributions from organizations, individuals, and businesses, support has been provided for the construction and repair of houses for 479 policy beneficiary families still facing housing difficulties, totaling 20,393 million VND; 288 savings accounts were presented to war veterans and relatives of martyrs, totaling 1.145 million VND...
The work of visiting, encouraging, and giving gifts to people who have rendered meritorious services to the revolution and their relatives on holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year) is being actively implemented by agencies, units, and localities in the province.
During the Lunar New Year and the Commemoration Day of War Invalids and Martyrs (July 27th), over two years ago, the entire province saw more than 747,370 people who rendered meritorious services to the revolution and their relatives receive gifts from the President, gifts from the local budget, from the Gratitude Fund, and gifts from social contributions, with a total expenditure of over 345.3 billion VND.
PV:What difficulties and obstacles have been encountered in implementing policies for people with meritorious service, Madam?
Ms. Ho Thi Chau Loan:Currently, Nghe An province is managing the payment of benefits to over 65,400 people who have rendered meritorious services to the nation, with a total monthly payment of more than 153 billion VND.
This is a very large number compared to many provinces and cities nationwide. The Ordinance on Preferential Treatment for People with Meritorious Contributions to the Revolution in 2020 and Government Decree No. 131/2021/ND-CP dated December 30, 2021, have added many preferential regimes and policies to contribute to stabilizing and gradually improving the lives of people with meritorious contributions to the revolution and their relatives; standardizing the conditions and standards for considering and recognizing people with meritorious contributions to the revolution according to the principles of strictness, deservingness, and targeting the right subjects.
However, during the implementation process, some difficulties and shortcomings still remain, such as regulations on the dossiers and procedures for granting the "Homeland's Recognition" certificate to those who sacrificed their lives under the cases stipulated in Article 14 of the Ordinance but have not yet been granted the "Homeland's Recognition" certificate, and whose relatives have already received preferential treatment from January 1, 1995 to September 30, 2006; regulations on the timing of receiving the "Heroic Vietnamese Mother" benefit or policies for resistance fighters and their children affected by chemical toxins…
The Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs has compiled the problems and shortcomings, and advised the Provincial People's Committee to propose recommendations to the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs for appropriate adjustments and amendments.
Furthermore, some individuals who participated in the resistance and revolution no longer possess the necessary documents or evidence to prove their participation, making it difficult to consider and resolve their entitlement to benefits.
PV:Besides the mechanisms and policies of the central government, what specific policies has Nghe An implemented to help improve the lives of those who have rendered meritorious services to the revolution?
Ms. Ho Thi Chau Loan:In recent years, in addition to the central government's policies for people with meritorious contributions to the revolution, Nghe An province has implemented specific policies such as Resolution No. 32/2020/NQ-HĐND dated December 13, 2020, of the Provincial People's Council, stipulating support policies for people with meritorious contributions to the revolution and their relatives from poor households in Nghe An province for the period 2021-2025; and Resolution No. 30/2021/NQ-HĐND dated December 9, 2021, of the Provincial People's Council, stipulating the standard level of social assistance and support policies for some social protection beneficiaries in Nghe An province, including support policies for people with congenital disabilities whose biological father or mother has received or is currently receiving preferential allowances for people with meritorious contributions to the revolution, and for children of resistance fighters exposed to chemical toxins (victims of Agent Orange/dioxin in the third generation).
From 2021-2024, the entire province provided support to 6,693 households and 9,368 individuals from families of revolutionary martyrs and war veterans classified as poor, with a total budget of nearly 58.44 billion VND; and supported 520 individuals with congenital disabilities whose biological father or mother has received or is currently receiving preferential allowances for children of resistance fighters exposed to chemical toxins (third generation), with a total budget of 1,495 million VND. As a result, this contributed to reducing the number of poor households of revolutionary martyrs and war veterans from 2,126 in 2022 to 1,435 at the beginning of 2024.
PV:To commemorate the 77th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs' Day, what are the key activities being held in the province, Madam?
Ms. Ho Thi Chau Loan:On the occasion of the 77th anniversary of the War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27, 1947 - July 27, 2024), to continue honoring, showing gratitude, and promoting the care and repayment of debts of gratitude to war invalids, sick soldiers, relatives of martyrs, and those who have contributed to the revolution, on May 30, 2024, the Provincial People's Committee issued Plan No. 405/KH-UBND on organizing activities to commemorate the 77th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day. Accordingly, extensive propaganda about the purpose and significance of War Invalids and Martyrs Day was organized through various rich, diverse, practical, and effective forms; the "Paying Gratitude" movement was launched, and a "Paying Gratitude" Fund was established at all grassroots levels.
In addition, the organization arranged for a delegation of exemplary war veterans from the province to visit several historical sites and revisit former battlefields in Hanoi and Phu Tho province; organized five working groups from the Provincial Party Committee, Provincial People's Council, Provincial People's Committee, and Provincial Fatherland Front Committee to lay wreaths and offer incense at martyrs' cemeteries, historical sites, and memorial areas inside and outside the province; visited and presented gifts to units caring for and nursing wounded soldiers, war veterans, and exemplary families of war veterans facing difficult circumstances; and organized candlelight vigils and incense offerings at martyrs' cemeteries throughout the province.
In addition, the province directed the timely distribution of gifts from the President to 79,723 individuals who rendered meritorious services to the revolution in the province, with a total budget of 24,477,000,000 VND. Along with the main activities of the province, localities, based on their specific conditions, developed plans to organize commemorative activities for the 77th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs' Day in a thoughtful, practical, effective, and economical manner.
PV:In the coming period, how will the work of showing gratitude and repaying kindness continue to be implemented in order to help alleviate and compensate for the sacrifices of families of wounded soldiers, martyrs, and those who have contributed to the revolution and sacrificed for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland?
Ms. Ho Thi Chau Loan:To ensure that policies for those who have rendered meritorious services to the revolution, especially the "Gratitude and Repayment" movement, continue to spread widely and become a responsibility in every citizen, in the coming time, the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs will continue to coordinate with relevant sectors and localities to further promote the dissemination of the Party's guidelines and the State's policies for those who have rendered meritorious services to the revolution through various rich, appropriate, and diverse forms, especially to ensure that cadres, civil servants, employees, and the people understand and implement correctly, fully, and thoughtfully the Party's guidelines and the State's policies and regulations for those who have rendered meritorious services to the revolution.
In addition, attention should be paid to reviewing and utilizing legally valid information and evidence regarding those who participated in the resistance war and were killed, wounded, or became ill while fighting or serving in combat, in order to verify martyrs, wounded soldiers, those entitled to policies similar to wounded soldiers, and those who participated in the resistance war and were exposed to chemical toxins, ensuring a thorough process based on the principle of "compassion and reason".
Furthermore, we must continue to promote the socialization of the "Gratitude and Repayment" work to create a larger and more abundant resource to help and support those who have rendered meritorious services to have a higher quality of life, both materially and spiritually. Priority should be given to supporting capital resources for job creation, poverty reduction, vocational training, and employment for the children of martyrs, wounded soldiers, and those who have rendered meritorious services.
At the same time, emphasis should be placed on encouraging and promoting the revolutionary family traditions of policy beneficiaries to overcome difficulties and strive for success in labor, production, and work, stabilize and improve their lives, and continue to contribute to building a more prosperous, beautiful, and civilized homeland.
PV:Thank you for this conversation!
