Household poverty in northwest region falls 3.4 percent in 2016
The northwest region of Vietnam recorded stable socio-economic development in 2016 with the household poverty rate dropping by 3.4 percent from the previous year.
The working session between the Steering Committee for the Northwest Region and the National Assembly’s Council for Ethnic Affairs on February 17 (Photo: VNA)
Yen Bai (VNA) – The northwest region of Vietnamrecorded stable socio-economic development in 2016 with the household povertyrate dropping by 3.4 percent from the previous year.
The Steering Committee for the Northwest Region reported thesituation in the region to a delegation of the National Assembly’s Council forEthnic Affairs at a working session in Yen Bai on February 17.
The region comprises 12 provinces (Ha Giang, LaoCai, Yen Bai, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Son La, Hoa Binh, Cao Bang, Bac Kan, LangSon, Phu Tho and Tuyen Quang) and 21 western districts of central Thanh Hoa andNghe An provinces.
Over 62 percent of the region’s population of 11million are ethnic minorities.
The Steering Committee reported that the localmaterial and spiritual life continued to be improved last year thanks to theenforcement of many policies such as those on infrastructure building, medicaland educational services promotion, water supply, legal aid, and residentresettlement.
All communes in the region have also far beenaccessible by car while 92 percent of the households have been connected toelectricity.
However, transport infrastructure has yet tomeet the development demand, the committee admitted, adding that unplannedmigration still continued, involving nearly 4,500 households between 2011 and2016.
The Committee asked for help in manpowertraining and job provision, and more investment in transport facilities, especiallyroads connecting villages and linking communes with provincial and nationalroads. It also urged a law on ethnic groups to be built.
Chairman of the NA Ethnic Affairs Council HaNgoc Chien spoke highly of the committee’s efforts, stressing that thenorthwest remains the poorest region in Vietnam.
He requested the committee to review theeffectiveness of existing policies and programmes targeting mountainous regionsand ethnic minority groups, and suggest ideas about developing human resourcesand training ethnic minority officials.-VNA
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The working session between the Steering Committee for the Northwest Region and the National Assembly’s Council for Ethnic Affairs on February 17 (Photo: VNA) 
