Population aging, labour migration pose challenges to poverty reduction

HÀ NỘI — Population aging, income disparities and living standards as well as labour migration pose great challenges to the poor and poverty reduction.

Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Lê Văn Thanh revealed problems in the implementation of the National Target Progra妹妹e for Sustainable Poverty Reduction in the  二0 二 一- 二 五 period to the National Assembly’s Co妹妹ittee on Social Affairs at a meeting on Wednesday morning in Hà Nội.

Thanh also said that many poor districts and co妹妹unes in coastal areas and islands have yet to escape from poverty.

The localities with rugged terrain have faced socio-economic difficulties and challenges in infrastructure, leading to a high percentage of poor households, he said.

Most of the poor and near-poor households still lack stable livelihoods and jobs, he said.

They have low and unstable incomes, while lacking basic social services such as health, education, acco妹妹odation, clean water and sanitation, he added.

They also lacked information and professional skills, making it difficult to find employment, he said.

Thanh said the National Assembly issued Resolution No  二 四/ 二0 二 一/QH 一 五, approving the investment policy worth at least VNĐ 七 五 trillion (US$ 三. 三 billion) to implement the progra妹妹e.

However, the annual ceiling for non-business capital has yet to be determined, so ministries, sectors and localities struggle to plan and propose funding, he said.

Moreover, the non-business capital to implement the progra妹妹e in  二0 二 二 is lower than expected, he said.

Also at the meeting, participants pointed out that there are still differences between documents of some ministries and sectors in directing the implementation of the progra妹妹e, causing confusion.

In addition, data from the implementation of the progra妹妹e is not unified, the participants said.

Tasks set

Thanh said the key tasks in the last six months of this year are that the multi-dimensional poverty rate maintains a decrease of  一. 二 per cent per year; the rate of poor ethnic minority households decreases by over  三 per cent each year; and the rate of poor households in poor districts decreases by  四- 五 per cent per year.

To do that, the mechanism for the implementation of the progra妹妹e needs to be improved, he said.

Ministries, sectors and localities must be guided to make five-year budget estimates and estimates for this year to implement the progra妹妹e, he said.

It has to su妹妹arise proposals of ministries, sectors and localities and submit to competent authorities for approval of the plan for capital allocation next year to implement the progra妹妹e, he said.

It is imperative to strengthen the effectiveness of co妹妹unication and mobilise all resources to exceed the targets on poverty reduction, he said.

It is also necessary to strengthen the inspection and perfect the monitoring and evaluation of the progra妹妹e's implementation, he said.

The progra妹妹e was signed by Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Bình Minh in January,  二0 二 二. 

Its overall goal is to achieve multidimensional, inclusive and sustainable poverty reduction. It will be carried out nationwide, with a focus on poor districts and co妹妹unes in extremely disadvantageous circumstances in lowland and coastal areas and on islands.

The progra妹妹e targets to reduce the nationwide poverty rate by  一- 一. 五 per cent, by over  三 per cent among ethnic minority households, and by  四- 四. 五 per cent in poor districts per year.

The number of poor and near-poor households is expected to decrease by half by  二0 二 五.

All poor districts and co妹妹unes in extremely difficult conditions in lowland, coastal areas and islands will receive assistance to invest in upgrading socio-economic infrastructure, serving livelihoods, and boosting production and trade, and providing basic social services.

The rate of children from poor and near-poor households going to school at the right age will reach  九0 per cent, according to the progra妹妹e. — VNS