Bac Giang (VNA) –😼 The northern province of Bac Giang will pay more attention to the implementation of projects, programmes, and policies on ethnic affairs in the time ahead, a local official has said.

Deputy head of the provincial Committee for Ethnic Affairs Truong Van Bao said for the 2024-2026 period, the locality has focused on building concerted infrastructure, reducing poverty, forming specialised farming areas, and handling issues regarding the lack of residential and production land, resettlement, and water shortage for mountainous residents and ethnic minorities. At the same time, attention has been given to education-training, health care, environmental protection, investment attraction, support to businesses, and job generation. The province is striving to cut the average poverty rate by 2.5% per year in mountainous and ethnic minority-inhabited communes by 2026, with a 3% reduction set for those in extreme difficulties. As many as 252 families will receive housing support, and 1,334 will get assistance in job transition, Bao said, adding that Bac Giang will construct six centralised fresh water facilities and 30 km of roads to commune centres and inter-commune roads. Besides, two markets and three communal medical centres will be built and upgraded, and 91 essential infrastructure facilities in disadvantaged hamlets and communes constructed. As many as 12 schools in the locality will receive equipment support, and seven boarding and semi-boarding schools are expected to get a facelift. As part of the effort, 10 culture and sport facilities will also be formed in mountainous and ethnic minority-inhabited areas, along with investments in tourist sites and the preservation work at two hamlets typical for ethnic minorities. Implementing the national target programme on socio-economic development in mountainous and ethnic minority-inhabited areas, the province will roll out 10 projects by 2026, aiming to address land and water problems, ensure residential stability, promote sustainable agro-forestry development, and leverage potential and strengths of localities in service of mass production with value chains. To fulfill the set targets, the province has mobilised capital resources for socio-economic infrastructure development in these areas, while stepping up the decentralisation in the implementation of economic projects and models. The total funding for the above-said national target programme amounts to over 586 billion VND (23.57 million USD) this year, with more than 114 billion VND disbursed as of May 31. The Committee for Ethnic Affairs has given advice to the provincial People’s Committee in allocating 43.6 billion VND to build 24 spillways and bridges in mountainous and ethnic minority-inhabited areas, of them eight under construction. In addition to the Kinh people, Bac Giang is home to 45 ethnic groups, including Nung, Tay, San Diu, Hoa, San Chay, and Dao. There are 257,258 ethnic minority people in the locality that make up 14.26% of its population. Four districts with large ethnic minority communities are Son Dong, Luc Ngan, Luc Nam, and Yen The./.