Review and provide rice relief to poor households during Tet holiday.

According to Thai Phuc Thanh, Deputy Director of the Department of Social Protection (Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs), with the spirit of "Ensuring no household goes hungry during Tet," the Ministry has directed the Department of Social Protection to focus on identifying groups facing food shortages after the recent natural disaster in order to provide relief.

According to incomplete statistics, in 2013, the whole country provided more than 60,000 tons of rice to people in disaster-stricken and food-scarce areas.

Transporting rice to support poor households in Ha Giang. (Illustrative photo: VNA)

Currently, 11 provinces have proposed providing rice for famine relief during Tet (Lunar New Year) with approximately 20,000 tons, including Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Cao Bang, Yen Bai, Nghe An, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Phu Yen, Ninh Thuan, Kon Tum, and Ninh Binh. Of these, Quang Binh province proposed the largest amount with 5,200 tons, followed by Nghe An with 4,200 tons and Quang Tri with 4,289 tons.

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs is urgently completing the procedures to submit to the Government for a decision on early rice distribution to support the people.

Deputy Director Thai Phuc Thanh stated that the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs has instructed localities to urgently review and assess the situation of eligible individuals; and to utilize social welfare budgets and other mobilized social resources to ensure that no poor person lacks food during Tet.

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the Party committees and local authorities have always paid close attention to inspecting and preventing cases of embezzlement of relief funds intended for the needy. The Ministry has organized inter-agency inspection teams to visit facilities to inspect relief efforts for policy beneficiaries, while also decentralizing the authority to local governments to directly inspect and handle such cases.

Deputy Director Thai Phuc Thanh affirmed that the handling of violations related to relief funds is always carried out in accordance with the law. In addition, localities need to strengthen propaganda and mobilization efforts to raise awareness among those involved about the value of relief work for people in need...

According to VNA