As a result,the poverty percentage dropped to 5.7 percent by the end of the yearfrom 7.4 percent in 2013, said SCSR Deputy Head Nguyen Phong Quang.
Quang attributed the achievement, the most impressive so far, toregional localities’ efforts to promote economic expansion.
Theultimate 9 percent rise in GDP or 113.19 trillion VND (5.35 billionUSD) paved the way for slashing poverty incidents effectively, he said.
To boost economic development, the localities invested 232trillion VND (10.9 billion USD) into infrastructure, especially thetransport system, he noted.
They adopted policies encouraging farmers to develop household-based production and the craft industry.
Vocational training courses were held for the poor, helping 387,000 land jobs.
Meanwhile, 1,616 billion VND (75.95 million USD) in loans wereprovided for disadvantaged households to boost production, Quang noted.
As many as 600,000 poor families were covered by health insurance.
At the same time, 138,000 households in flood-hit areas, including27,000 poor ones, were supported to build or upgrade their houses toadapt to climate change.
In 2015, the authority is assisting 245,000 other households to escape from poverty, stated Quang.
The region will provide 125 trillion VND in loans for locals to spurproduction, while conducting 11,000 small projects totalling 220trillion VND to create more jobs for poor labourers, he explained.-VNA