Overlapping policies are hindering poverty reduction efforts, accordingto Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Pham Thi HaiChuyen.
At a recent conference drafting theGovernment’s report on poverty reduction in the period of 2005-2012,delegates pointed to the fact that many ministries issued policiesdesigned for the same purpose, resulting in stretching resources whichare already limited. One example of this is a range of policies oninvestment in infrastructure for disadvantaged communes, includingProgramme 135 for disadvantaged communes of ethnic minority groups,Programme 30a for the 61 poorest districts, and the programme onbuilding new-style rural areas.
The State andlocal budget cannot meet the capital demand for all projects under theseprogrammes at the same time, resulting in delays in implementation ofthem all.
The large number of policies built byvarious ministries and agencies also makes it difficult to keepconsistency. Two similarly poor households in the same commune mayreceive assistance at different levels depending on whether they benefitfrom Programme 135 or Programme 30a, leading to beneficiaries’complaints.
Another example of the overlappingpolicies is the buying of medical insurance for the poor. As the policyis conducted by several ministries and agencies, it happens that abeneficiary may receive several health insurance cards, which is a wasteof State money.
To counter the problem, theMinistry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) hasproposed that all existing national target programmes for povertyreduction should be combined into a single one to prevent scatteredinvestment. Local authorities should be given a stronger say in how toallocate investment to meet local needs, while a coordinator is neededfor the implementation of policies in each specific area.
According to MoLISA’s report, the country saw an annual averagepoverty rate reduction of 2 percent and a 5 percent fall indisadvantaged districts and communes from 2005-2012.
In 2013, 621,000 poor households were provided with preferentialloans for production development, and 13 million disadvantaged andethnic people were granted health insurance cards.
However, the achievements were unstable, especially in mountainous andethnic minority populated regions where the number of poor householdsaccounts for 50 percent of the country’s total.-VNA
At a recent conference drafting theGovernment’s report on poverty reduction in the period of 2005-2012,delegates pointed to the fact that many ministries issued policiesdesigned for the same purpose, resulting in stretching resources whichare already limited. One example of this is a range of policies oninvestment in infrastructure for disadvantaged communes, includingProgramme 135 for disadvantaged communes of ethnic minority groups,Programme 30a for the 61 poorest districts, and the programme onbuilding new-style rural areas.
The State andlocal budget cannot meet the capital demand for all projects under theseprogrammes at the same time, resulting in delays in implementation ofthem all.
The large number of policies built byvarious ministries and agencies also makes it difficult to keepconsistency. Two similarly poor households in the same commune mayreceive assistance at different levels depending on whether they benefitfrom Programme 135 or Programme 30a, leading to beneficiaries’complaints.
Another example of the overlappingpolicies is the buying of medical insurance for the poor. As the policyis conducted by several ministries and agencies, it happens that abeneficiary may receive several health insurance cards, which is a wasteof State money.
To counter the problem, theMinistry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) hasproposed that all existing national target programmes for povertyreduction should be combined into a single one to prevent scatteredinvestment. Local authorities should be given a stronger say in how toallocate investment to meet local needs, while a coordinator is neededfor the implementation of policies in each specific area.
According to MoLISA’s report, the country saw an annual averagepoverty rate reduction of 2 percent and a 5 percent fall indisadvantaged districts and communes from 2005-2012.
In 2013, 621,000 poor households were provided with preferentialloans for production development, and 13 million disadvantaged andethnic people were granted health insurance cards.
However, the achievements were unstable, especially in mountainous andethnic minority populated regions where the number of poor householdsaccounts for 50 percent of the country’s total.-VNA
