LIVE: Minister, Chairman of the Ethnic Committee answers questions

* Watch the question and answer session livehere

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Delegates Bui Sy Loi, Ma Thi Thuy (Tuyen Quang), Y Nhan (Kon Tum), Duong Xuan Hoa (Lang Son), Nguyen Ngoc Phuong (Quang Binh), Dinh Thi Phuong Lan... asked questions about: Responsibility of the Ethnic Committee and solutions for sustainable poverty reduction; solutions to support ethnic minorities with very small populations; investment in infrastructure and clean water for remote areas; solutions to build and implement ethnic policies in the coming time; development of education in ethnic minority areas...

Minister, Chairman of the Ethnic Committee Do Van Chien.

Sustainable poverty reduction is a lingering, worrying issue.

Responding to delegate Bui Sy Loi's question about sustainable poverty reduction, Minister Do Van Chien said that this is a lingering issue for many levels, sectors and "myself". The number of poor ethnic minority households accounts for 52.66%, with an average income of only 7-8 million VND/person/year...
The responsibility of the Ethnic Committee is to be the main advisory body, coordinating with relevant ministries and branches to advise the Prime Minister to resolve this issue. The Committee has advised the Government to issue specific policies to support ethnic minorities (land, loans, vocational training, etc.). However, the implementation of the policy still faces difficulties and obstacles.

In the coming time, the Ethnic Committee will focus on implementing 6 main groups of solutions: Developing transport infrastructure; developing education and training of human resources in mountainous ethnic minority areas; creating livelihoods for ethnic minorities; stably solving the problem of production land, residential land, and domestic water; supporting product consumption and market connection; strengthening propaganda and mobilization so that people are proud of their origins, confident in themselves, self-reliant and not relying on state support; researching and integrating policies to focus on directing and concentrating investment resources for the development of ethnic minorities...
Responding to delegate Ma Thi Thuy, the Minister said that there are 16 ethnic minorities with less than 10,000 people. The Committee has advised on the issuance of a specific policy to support each ethnic group with very few people. In particular, direct investment has been made for 4 ethnic minorities with less than 1,000 people, identifying specific investment tasks for each village, each ethnic group...
Responding to delegate Y Nhan, the Minister said that when he took office, he had been to all the most difficult areas of the country, so he understood very well and understood the difficulties of the people. However, recently, due to the transition between the two terms, budget investment for ethnic minorities encountered difficulties and problems... The Ethnic Committee, together with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance, advised the Government to draft a resolution and submit it to the National Assembly for consideration to allocate capital for the people.
The Party and State pay special attention to ethnic work.
* Speaking on the question and answer groups, Minister and Chairman of the Ethnic Committee Do Van Chien said that our country has 54 ethnic groups, including 54 ethnic minorities. Our Party and State always identify great solidarity among ethnic groups as a strategic issue. In recent years, all levels, sectors and the entire political system have paid attention to investing resources, infrastructure, ensuring livelihoods, health care, education... to improve people's lives.
However, at present, ethnic minority areas are still underdeveloped, natural disasters, poverty and backwardness are still big challenges.
In recent times, the Ethnic Committee has advised competent authorities to issue many important policies to develop ethnic minority and particularly disadvantaged areas; directed their implementation resolutely and achieved initial results. However, there are still limitations in ethnic work, requiring fundamental solutions in the coming time.

Early in the morning, after Secretary General of the National Assembly and Head of the National Assembly Office Nguyen Hanh Phuc announced the reason and introduced the delegates attending the meeting, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan delivered the opening speech.

Next, under the direction of Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Phung Quoc Hien, Minister and Chairman of the Ethnic Committee Do Van Chien will answer questions from National Assembly deputies on the following issues:Implementing policies for ethnic minorities, especially ethnic minorities with very few people in accessing basic social services (education-training, health care, etc.), social infrastructure, supporting production development, vocational training, job creation; sustainable poverty reduction, improving the material and spiritual life of ethnic minorities.

During the process of the Minister and Chairman of the Ethnic Committee answering questions, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh; Ministers of the Ministries of Planning and Investment; Finance; Agriculture and Rural Development; Transport; Education and Training; Health; Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs; Culture, Sports and Tourism, participated in answering questions and explaining related issues.

At the end of the session, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Phung Quoc Hien will deliver a speech concluding the question and answer session with the Minister and Chairman of the Ethnic Committee.