Legislators discuss development programme for ethnic minorities
Legislators gave opinions on June 12 on the draft socio-economic development programme for ethnic minority-inhabited and mountainous areas in the 2021-2030 period, identifying the need to initially allocate funding to priorities.
Deputy To Van Tam of the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum speaks at the sitting on June 12 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - Legislators gave opinions on June 12 on the draftsocio-economic development programme for ethnic minority-inhabited and mountainous areasin the 2021-2030 period, identifying the need to initially allocate funding topriorities.
It was part of the ongoing ninth session of the 14th NationalAssembly in Hanoi.
Hoang Thi Thu Trang, a deputy from north-central Nghe An province, saidthe Government estimated the budget for the programme implementation in 2021-2025at 114.97 trillion VND (over 4.9 billion USD), including at least 104.95trillion VND from the central budget and more than 10 trillion VND from budgets of the targted provinces and cities.
She noted that funding from the central budget is already difficult but itis even harder for localities to arrange corresponding capital because most beneficiaryprovinces are poor and still subsidised by the central budget.
To ensure the implementation of the programme and prevent wastefulness, it isnecessary to select several key and urgent projects to carry out first, Trang said,suggesting that instead of concurrently implementing ten projects as proposedin the draft programme, focus should be paid to certain projects in the initialphase, such as those providing residential land, farming land, and drinkingwater for the people, re-arranging population distribution, and developingproduction, infrastructure, and education.
Echoing this view, Nguyen Huu Toan, representing the northernmountainous province of Lai Chau, asked the Government to list projectsaccording to their levels of priority.
He held that, in the first phase, efforts should concentrate on fundamentalissues such as education and training, dealing with the shortage of land forproduction activities, boosting development in ethnic minorities with thesmallest populations and those facing greater hardships, helping targetedcommunities settle down, developing infrastructure, and improving local livelihoods.
For other issues, the programme can provide less funding or integratethem into the national target programmes on new-style rural area building andsustainable poverty reduction, he added.
Toan noted that in the Government’s proposal, the programme will need atleast 137.66 trillion VND in the 2021-2025 period, of which 105 trillion VND,or 76 percent, will be sourced from the central budget. Other sources offunding are relatively modest, at about 3 trillion VND, or 2 percent.
Given this, he also called for more policies to be adopted to attract theparticipation of the public and businesses in the task./.
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National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan was elected as Chairperson of the National Election Council at the ongoing ninth session of the 14th legislature in Hanoi on June 11.
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The National Assembly (NA) passed a resolution on the morning of June 12 ratifying the Vice Chairpersons and members of the National Election Council, with 92.96 percent of the deputies voting in favour.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly departed from Hanoi on August 10 morning for a four-day state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK), which is made at an invitation of RoK President Lee Jae Myung.
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The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
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The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
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President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
Deputy To Van Tam of the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum speaks at the sitting on June 12 (Photo: VNA) 
