Nghe An will allocate enough funds to solve housing problems for meritorious people.

On the afternoon of December 7, the Provincial People's Committee held a working session to listen to reports on the implementation status and direct the removal of obstacles and difficulties related to the implementation of housing support for people with revolutionary contributions.

Comrades: Thai Thanh Quy - Alternate Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Le Minh Thong - Member of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee chaired the meeting.

Also attending were representatives of the Department of Construction, Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, relevant departments, branches and representatives of localities with beneficiaries of the policy.Photo: Thanh Nga

On April 26, 2013, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 22/2013/QD-TTg to support people with revolutionary contributions in housing. This is a major and practical policy of the Party and State to ensure the improvement of housing quality, stabilize life, and enhance the material and spiritual life of people with revolutionary contributions.

The supported household must be a household of people with revolutionary contributions recognized by a competent authority, currently living and having registered permanent residence before June 15, 2013.

According to the project approved under Decision 22, the total number of households with meritorious services to the revolution in Nghe An province that need housing support is 26,846. Of these, 13,748 households need to build new houses and 13,098 households need to repair houses, with a total budget needed to support of 815,939.4 million VND.

The delegation of provincial National Assembly deputies visited the family of Mr. Nguyen Canh Tuong, block 13, Dung town (Thanh Chuong), a 2/3 war invalid who received support to build a house. Photo: Document

Up to now, 18,844/26,846 houses have been completed (reaching a rate of 70.19%), of which 9,249 houses are newly built; 9,595 houses are repaired and renovated. There are 2,265/26,846 houses under construction, reaching a rate of 8.43%. Of which 1,085 houses are newly built, 1,179 houses are repaired and renovated. The amount of money disbursed to support the subjects: 545,154 million VND/773,190.1 million VND, reaching a rate of 70.51%.

According to the report of the Department of Construction, there are currently 5,737 approved houses, accounting for 21.37%, that have not been built. Of these, 1,201 households were removed from the project due to incorrect approval of subjects, withdrawal requests, and duplicate lists; 824 households were not supported by the central government's allocated capital but had to use local budget sources to support because the meritorious person, either the wife or husband, had died according to the provisions of Point c, Clause 3, Article 1 of Resolution 63/NQ-CP dated July 25, 2017 (on the implementation of housing support policies for people with revolutionary merit according to Decision No. 22).

Disbursement is difficult

Regarding the difficulties and obstacles in the progress of disbursing funds for housing construction for people with meritorious services according to Decision 22, local representatives said that the majority of the subjects who requested to be removed from the support list were those who did not need to repair or rebuild; those who had passed away or moved to another place of residence; those whose housing needs had changed (from needing to build new houses to repairing, from repairing to building new houses); those who had self-funded to build houses and then donated or transferred them. These obstacles made the process of synthesizing and reviewing documents to disburse funds according to progress difficult.

Comrade Doan Hong Vu - Director of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs spoke at the meeting. Photo: Thanh Nga

In addition, many delegates expressed concerns that many households that are approved for support, but while waiting for the central government's funding, have been mobilized by the locality from other sources such as the Gratitude Fund, the Fund for the Poor, business organizations, individuals or other sources of capital to build new houses or repair houses, but this support source is lower than the housing support source according to Decision 22. Will they be disbursed further? Many households were initially approved for repair, but now, after waiting for the central government's funding, their houses have deteriorated so much that they want to convert to new construction. Are they eligible?

Giving housing support money to meritorious people in Yen Hop commune, Quy Hop district. Photo: Document

Or, there are many households that were not approved during the initial screening process but now have applications for repair and renovation. Will they be adjusted? Regarding this, Comrade Doan Hong Vu - Director of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs said: "Those who have received other support sources are often lower than the amount of Decision 22, so it is necessary to arrange disbursement for them. Those who arise during the implementation of the Housing Project for Meritorious People need to be reviewed to make recommendations to the Central Government for support in phase 3."

Comrade Thai Thanh Quy concluded the meeting. Photo: Thanh Nga

Concluding the meeting, Comrade Thai Thanh Quy - Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee affirmed: Although the progress of housing support for people with meritorious services in the province has not met the requirements of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, the policy regime must be resolved for the right subjects according to the instructions in Decision 22.

The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee said that localities with subjects arising during the implementation of the project need to review and make proposals to the Ministry to adjust phase 3. In addition, subjects who have moved their houses and no longer need them need to have a commitment to avoid future litigation.

Regarding funding, if the central government has not transferred counterpart funds, the province will arrange funding to fully resolve the approved subjects.

The subjects receiving housing support under Decision No. 22/2013/QD-TTg are households with people who have contributed to the revolution, including 12 groups of subjects, specifically:

- Revolutionary activists before January 1, 1945

- Vietnamese heroic mother

- Hero of the People's Armed Forces

- Labor hero during the resistance period

- War invalids, people enjoying policies like war invalids

- Sick soldier

- Resistance fighters infected with toxic chemicals

- Revolutionary and resistance activists were imprisoned by the enemy.

- People who participate in the resistance war to liberate the nation, protect the Fatherland and fulfill international obligations

- People who have contributed to the revolution