Nghe An focuses on taking care of Tet for the meritorious and the poor

Timely attention, timely support

Ms. Tran Thi Chau in Hung Linh commune (Hung Nguyen) was a soldier in battlefield B and was exposed to Agent Orange dioxin during the fierce years of the war against the US. After leaving the army, Ms. Chau returned to work in the locality and made many contributions to the socio-economic development.

However, in her old age, she also had to suffer from many terrible diseases caused by chemical poisoning, such as diabetes syndrome, thyroid cancer, etc. In addition, 5 years ago, her son went to work far away and unfortunately had a work accident and died; her daughter married in Nghia Dan district and rarely visited her mother because her family was too poor. Therefore, she had to endure loneliness in a simple 2-room house in Hung Linh commune. Lonely in her old age because she could not live with her children and grandchildren and was tormented by many diseases, but she always felt warm because she received constant attention from neighbors and authorities, especially during holidays and Tet.

Ms. Tran Thi Chau said: "In addition to the province's Tet regime, the district and commune also have meaningful gifts, especially the care and concern of socio-political organizations and philanthropists, helping me reduce the worries of old age."

In Hung Linh commune (Hung Nguyen), there are 249 meritorious people who are receiving regular payments from the State. These are people who always receive special support and attention from the commune every time Tet comes. Mr. Nguyen Van Que - policy officer of Hung Linh commune added: "In addition to meritorious people and policy families receiving gifts, the district and commune also pay much attention to the poor, the lonely and those in difficult circumstances".

A typical example in the commune is the family of Mrs. Dau Thi Mai whose son has a serious mental illness and often runs away from home. Knowing her situation, the commune always gives her gifts from benefactors as a way to share her difficulties. In addition, the locality also accompanies her in the process of taking care of her sick child, and every Lunar New Year always remembers her with warm and practical gifts.

Along with that care and sharing, many localities in the province also urgently connected with socio-political organizations and philanthropists to prepare gifts for people with meritorious services, policy families, and the poor in especially difficult circumstances.

In Do Luong - where over 5,422 policy beneficiaries have received monthly subsidies in recent years, to improve the living standards of meritorious people and policy beneficiaries, the district has actively mobilized philanthropists, children living far from home and mass organizations to take care of them. On the occasion of Lunar New Year this year alone, in addition to the central and provincial sources of over 2.2 billion VND, the district also allocated nearly 129 million VND from the budget and organized 8 delegations to visit and give gifts to meritorious people, policy families and households in difficult circumstances.

Ms. Pham Thi Bich Thuy, Head of the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs of Do Luong district, said: "Based on mobilizing businesses and philanthropists to have funding sources, we have made a specific plan to support the beneficiaries with the most practical gifts, helping them have a warmer and more fulfilling Tet. Along with that, with the motto "no one is left behind", Party committees at all levels also care for the families of elderly Party members, children in difficult circumstances, people with long-term illnesses..."

Leaving no one behind

In the process of caring for and helping policy families, poor households, and households in difficult circumstances, many localities have paid special attention to avoid situations where some households receive many gifts from benefactors, but there are also households with difficulties and serious illnesses that have not received adequate attention. Regarding this, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Hiep - Head of the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs of Hung Nguyen district said: "We require the communes to count all households in difficult circumstances, single elderly, and long-term sick people even though they are not poor households. From there, we will include them in the plan and have the most practical gifts to encourage them in a timely manner."

It is known that Hung Nguyen district mobilized a total budget of about 4 billion VND, of which the State budget guaranteed 3.5 billion VND, the district budget source 500 million VND. In addition, the district also actively socialized about 2.5 billion VND for social security. To help every family have a Tet, Hung Nguyen district established 6 groups to give gifts to families of meritorious people, policy families, poor households, and near-poor households in the area.

“We have received recognition from people, especially those in difficult circumstances. However, for them to truly have a Tet, I think we need more hearts towards policy families, the elderly and those in especially difficult circumstances,” said Mr. Hiep.

Director of the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs of Nghe An province - Mr. Doan Hong Vu, said: Up to this point, all meritorious people and their relatives have been cared for, stabilizing their material and spiritual lives. Although the economy has many difficulties, in 2023, the whole province collected 17.2 billion VND to contribute to the Gratitude Fund; supported the construction of 154 new houses for policy families in difficult circumstances; reduced the poverty rate to 5.19%.

However, there are still difficult family circumstances, many orphans have to live in poverty, many elderly people are sick and lonely, and need the support of the whole society.

From the end of January 2024, Nghe An province organized visits and gave gifts to people with revolutionary contributions and social beneficiaries in the province on the occasion of the Lunar New Year of Giap Thin. The total budget for implementing the policy of visiting and giving Tet gifts to units and beneficiaries is nearly 70 billion VND. Of which, the beneficiaries of gifts from the President are guaranteed by the central budget for 81,535 people with a budget of more than 25 billion VND; the budget of Nghe An province to support the poor and wish longevity to the elderly is nearly 25.5 billion VND; the budget of districts and communes in the province spent to give gifts to 63,162 people (with a gift level of 300,000 VND/person) is nearly 19 billion VND. In addition, the People's Committee of Nghe An province submitted to the President to give longevity greeting cards to 608 elderly people who turned 100 years old; The Government has supported 1,080,255 kg of rice to relieve hunger for 16,469 households, with 72,017 people during the Lunar New Year.