Dong Thap (VNA) – The Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap is striving to reduce the ratio of poor households by 0.5 percent in the end of 2021, according to a plan released by the provincial People’s Committee on the implementation of the National Target Programme on sustainable poverty reduction and social welfare.

In recent years, Dong Thap has seen a dramatic drop in the ratio to 1.86 percent in 2020 from 2.73 percent in 2019.

Various support policies have been applied, including providing credit for poor and near-poor households as well as those just escaped from poverty, and poor students. Last year, more than 443 billion VND was provided to more than 13,000 households.

Meanwhile, more than 124,800 health insurance cards have been handed over to poor locals, while more than 26,000 students have received learning support, and nearly 1,400 houses have been built for poor households.

As part of efforts to implement Resolution 42/NQ-CP issued by the Prime Minister dated April 9, 2020 on measures to assist COVID-19-impacted people, Dong Thap has provided more than 180 billion VND to more than 183,400 needy people to help them ease difficulties and stablise their life.

At the same time, the provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committee and member orgaisations have mobilised more than 300 billion VND from the society and over 84 scholarships worth 51 billion VND for the poor.

Doan Tan Buu, Vice Chairman of the Dong Thap People’s Committee said that in order to complete the target of reducing the poverty ratio by 0.5 percent by the end of this year, the province will focus on associating the implementation of sustainable poverty reduction with the building of new-style rural areas.

Along with providing favourable conditions for locals, especially those in rural areas to access basic social welfare, the locality will conduct vocational training to rural labourers and increase labour export, he said./.