Vice NA Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong speaks at the meeting (Source: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Minister-Chairman of the Government’sCommittee for Ethnic Affairs Do Van Chien has pointed out that ethnicminority-inhabited and mountainous areas have suffered most difficulties, with ahigh rate of poor households.
Although 53 ethnic minority groups in Vietnam make up onlynearly 14.2 percent of the national population, the number of poor people amongthe groups account for 51.86 percent of the country’s total figure, Chien saidat the sixth plenary session of the National Assembly’s Council for EthnicAffairs in Hanoi on May 3.
Many households still lack production land, he said,stressing asynchronous land and housing policies towards ethnic minorityhouseholds which need resettlement due to urban development and hydro electricprojects.
According to Chien, the committee will implement a total of15 programmes and policies relating to ethnic minorities in 2018, of which ninewill be funded by the State budget.
Members of the council said that a range of credit policieshave been implemented in ethnic minority-inhabited areas. However, maximumloans are not enough to support business and production activities in the faceof market uncertainties.
Besides, there remain limitations in policies towardsteachers and students in the ethnic minority-inhabited areas, they added.
Addressing the meeting, Vice Chairwoman of the NA Tong ThiPhong said the Party and the State always pay due attention to developingethnic policies.
She asked ministries, agencies and localities to heed securityin ethnic minority-inhabited areas in the Northwestern, Central Highlands, andSouthwestern regions.
The meeting is expected to go on until May 5./.
VNA
