Approval of 4 districts of Nghe An on the list of poor districts nationwide for the period 2021-2025

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh signed Decision No. 353/QD-TTg dated March 15, 2022 approving the list of 74 poor districts in 26 provinces; 54 extremely disadvantaged communes in coastal and island areas in 12 provinces for the 2021-2025 period.

Also according to the Decision just signed and issued by the Permanent Deputy Prime Minister, Nghe An has no particularly difficult communes in coastal and island areas in the 2021 - 2025 period.

Panoramic view of Pha Xac village, Huoi Tu commune, Ky Son border district (Nghe An). This is a Mong ethnic village located on a mountain top about 1,300 m above sea level, belonging to the Truong Son range. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Nghe An is currently the province with the largest area in the country with more than 16,400km², population over 3.3 million people, ranked 4th in the country. The whole province has 21 districts, cities, towns; in which the Western Nghe An region accounts for nearly 84% of the whole province's area, with a border of more than 468 km adjacent to Laos.

Western Nghe An includes 11 districts and towns; of which there are 5 highland districts: Ky Son, Tuong Duong, Con Cuong, Que Phong, Quy Chau and 6 mountainous districts and towns: Quy Hop, Nghia Dan, Thai Hoa town, Tan Ky, Anh Son, Thanh Chuong. The Western region of the province is mainly inhabited by ethnic minorities such as: Thai, Tho, Mong, O Du, Kho Mu...

In recent years, Nghe An's poverty reduction results have been positive; the poverty rate has decreased rapidly; by the end of 2021, it was about 2.74%. However, in some poor districts and particularly difficult communes in the Western region, the poverty rate is still high.

In addition to the 4 districts of Nghe An, in the list of approved poor districts nationwide, Thanh Hoa has 6 districts, Ha Giang has 4 districts, Tuyen Quang has 2 districts, Lang Son has 2 districts, Bac Giang has 1 district, Cao Bang has 7 districts, Bac Kan has 2 districts, Lao Cai has 4 districts, Yen Bai has 2 districts, Dien Bien has 7 districts, Lai Chau has 4 districts, Son La has 2 districts, Hoa Binh has 1 district, Quang Tri has 1 district, Thua Thien Hue has 1 district, Quang Nam has 6 districts, Quang Ngai has 2 districts, Binh Dinh has 1 district, Khanh Hoa has 2 districts, Ninh Thuan has 1 district, Kon Tum has 3 districts, Gia Lai has 1 district, Dak Lak has 2 districts, Dak Nong has 2 districts and An Giang has 1 district.

Thai girls in the mountainous district of Quy Chau, Nghe An visit the fields. Photo: Thanh Cuong

According to Decision No. 353/QD-TTg, the Deputy Prime Minister requested that based on the proposal of the People's Committee of the province or centrally-run city, the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs synthesize, appraise, and report to the Prime Minister for consideration, adjustment, and supplementation of the list of particularly disadvantaged communes in coastal and island areas.

Previously, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh also signed and issued Decision No. 90/QD-TTg dated January 18, 2022 approving the "National Target Program on Sustainable Poverty Reduction for the 2021-2025 period", which will be implemented nationwide, focusing on poor districts and particularly disadvantaged communes in coastal and island areas.

The program has 7 component projects: Project 1 supports investment in developing socio-economic infrastructure in poor districts, especially disadvantaged communes in coastal and island areas. Project 2 diversifies livelihoods and develops poverty reduction models.

Project 3 supports production development and nutrition improvement. Project 4 develops vocational education and sustainable employment. Project 5 supports housing for poor and near-poor households in poor districts.

Project 6: Communication and information poverty reduction. Project 7: Capacity building and program monitoring and evaluation.

Teaching the Hmong panpipe dance at Tay Son Ethnic Minority Secondary School, Ky Son border district, Nghe An. Photo: Thanh Cuong

The total capital to implement the Program for the 2021-2025 period is at least VND 75,000 billion, of which the central budget capital is VND 48,000 billion, the local budget capital is VND 12,690 billion and other legally mobilized capital is VND 14,310 billion.

The general objective of the “National Target Program on Sustainable Poverty Reduction for the 2021-2025 period” is to implement multidimensional, inclusive, sustainable poverty reduction, limit re-poverty and poverty generation; support the poor and poor households to overcome the minimum living standard, access basic social services according to the national multidimensional poverty standards, improve the quality of life; support poor districts and especially disadvantaged communes in coastal and island areas to escape poverty and extreme poverty.

The program aims to maintain a reduction of 1-1.5% per year in the rate of poor households according to the multidimensional poverty standard; reduce the rate of poor ethnic minority households by over 3% per year; 30% of poor districts and 30% of particularly disadvantaged communes in coastal and island areas escape poverty and extreme poverty; and reduce the rate of poor households in poor districts by 4-5% per year.

Rice fields in Hanh Dich commune of the Thai ethnic group in the mountainous border district of Que Phong, Nghe An during harvest season. Photo: Thanh Cuong

The program sets the main targets to be achieved by 2025: reducing the number of poor and near-poor households by half compared to the beginning of the period according to the national multidimensional poverty standard; 100% of poor districts and especially disadvantaged communes in coastal and island areas will receive investment support to develop regional socio-economic infrastructure, serving people's lives, production, trade, goods circulation and providing basic social services.

Along with that, the Program will support the construction and replication of over 1,000 poverty reduction models and projects to support the development of production, business, services, tourism, start-ups, and business startups to create sustainable livelihoods, jobs, and income.