Hanoi (VNA) - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a governmentmeeting on the current development of social housing and housing for workers onMarch 16 morning from the capital city of Hanoi.

Speaking at the conference, the PM said that affordable housing remains a keypillar of Vietnam's socio-economic development and one of the highestpriorities of the Government, which reflects the country's focus on the peopleat the centre of development as the driving force, the ultimate objective andthe most valuable resource.

He stressed the importance of investing in social housing, in line withDecision No. 388/QD-TTg approving the project "Investing in theconstruction of at least 1 million social housing units for low-income groups,industrial workers for the period 2021 - 2030" issued last year.

The PM said the development of social housing is consistent with the Party's guidelinesand policies, with the cultural and historical traditions, and social ethics ofour nation, which emphasise solidarity and mutual assistance.

He outlined some of the Government's preferential policies for social housingprojects, such as allocating a maximum of 20% of the total land area forconstruction, services, and commercial housing; exempting land use fees andland rent for the entire project area; developers are not required to gothrough land price determination procedures; eligible for preferential interestrate loans; reducing residency requirements for buyers and renters of socialhousing, among others.

He called on the financial sector, property developers and governmental bodiesto review and study the progress made so far to learn lessons and preparesolutions and recommendations for the Government to solve issues that must beaddressed.

"All relevant entities, individuals, and organisations based on theirfunctions, tasks, and powers must fully exert their abilities andresponsibilities in this work, promoting social ethics according to the cultural-historicaltradition of our nation," he said.

To achieve the set goals, he urged the state, people, and enterprises to worktogether, putting themselves in others' positions, especially those who do nothave access to affordable housing.

According to a report by the Government, there are 1,316 land plots with atotal area of 8,611 hectares having been planned for social housing, more thandouble the 2020 figure of 3,359 hectares. The southern province of Dong Naisaid it has set aside a land fund of 1,063 hectares for social housingdevelopment, Ho Chi Minh City 608 hectares, Long An 577 hectares, Hai Phong 471hectares and Hanoi 412 hectares.

There have been 499 social housing projects implemented, providing a total of411,250 housing units within 2021 to the end of 2023 in cities and provincesacross the country, including 72 completed projects with 38,128 housing units,129 projects that are under construction with 114,934 housing units and 298projects that have been approved with 258,188 housing units.

Many localities have been proactively looking for new ways to attractinvestment in the development of social housing such as Bac Ninh province with15 projects, 6,000 units, Bac Giang with 5 projects, 12,475 units, Hai Phong with7 projects, 11,678 units; Binh Duong with 7 projects, 6,557 units; Dong Nai 8projects, 9,074 units, Thanh Hoa with 9 projects, 4,948 units./.