In Quang Tri province, Vinh Linh district is one of the first localities to implement Decree No. 28/2022/ND-CP dated April 26, 2022 of the Government on preferential credit policies for the National Target Program (NTP) for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas (Decree 28). In particular, after more than 1 year of implementation, Decree 28 has helped dozens of poor households in 3 mountainous communes of Vinh O, Vinh Khe, Vinh Ha to access preferential capital to repair and build houses.

Decree No. 28/2022/ND-CP contributes to ensuring housing criteria in new rural construction for mountainous communes of Vinh Linh district - Photo: NT

The new solid house, nearly 200 m2 wide, of Ms. Ho Thi Chieu's family in Khe Cat village, Vinh Khe commune was completed and put into use from October 2023. In the investment budget for building the new house, Ms. Chieu's family received 40 million VND from the Transaction Office of the Social Policy Bank (CSXH) of Vinh Linh district, which created favorable conditions for a loan from the preferential credit policy loan source according to Decree 28.

The loan term is up to 15 years, the interest rate is 3%/year, the first 5 years do not need to pay the principal, so Ms. Chieu is not under pressure. Ms. Chieu shared: “My family is poor, before the whole family lived in a temporary house, rainy season, dry season were very difficult. Now that I have borrowed capital, I have built a new house, I feel less worried, focus on doing business, saving, gradually paying off the loan and worrying about a better life.”

The wish of having a new house has also become a reality for the family of Mr. Ho Van Duong and Ms. Ho Thi Huyen in Ban 3, Vinh O commune. Being a poor household, their income only depends on a few fields and working for hire, and raising 3 children to go to school, Ms. Huyen and her husband cannot afford to repair the stilt house that has deteriorated after nearly 10 years of use.

In June 2023, after being approved for a loan of 40 million VND from the Vinh Linh District Social Policy Bank Transaction Office, Ms. Huyen's family thought about rebuilding the house. Ms. Huyen said: "Thanks to the preferential loan from the Vinh Linh District Social Policy Bank Transaction Office, my family was bold enough to borrow more money from relatives to have enough money to build a house. In just under a month, the house will be finished and we can move in with peace of mind."

Immediately after Decree 28 took effect, the Transaction Office of the Social Policy Bank of Vinh Linh district strengthened its advice to local Party committees and authorities to direct relevant units to promptly coordinate implementation. According to the review, in the period of 2021 - 2025, Vinh Linh has a total of 101 households in 3 communes of Vinh O, Vinh Khe, Vinh Ha as beneficiaries with a loan capital of 4,040 billion VND.

Based on the decision of the District People's Committee, the Vinh Linh District Social Policy Bank Transaction Office actively cooperated with 3 communes to quickly disburse allocated capital to people with the method of direct lending with entrustment through socio-political organizations. Director of the Vinh Linh District Social Policy Bank Transaction Office Thieu Quang An informed: "After more than a year of implementing Decree 28, by December 2023, specifically for housing support loans, the Vinh Linh District Social Policy Bank Transaction Office has completed disbursing capital of 2,140 billion VND to 54 borrowers. Of which, Vinh O has 45 households, Vinh Khe has 4 households and Vinh Ha has 5 households".

Reality in Vinh Linh district shows that Decree 28 not only helps households build solid houses soon, but more importantly, it has changed the awareness of Van Kieu people about settling down, proactively rising up to escape poverty.

Chairman of Vinh O Commune People's Committee Tran Van Tang said: "The extremely difficult mountainous commune of Vinh O is the locality with the largest number of households receiving housing support loans among the three mountainous communes. It is very exciting that throughout the 7 villages of the commune, there are more and more new houses replacing temporary and degraded houses. It is from the borrowed capital that people are more courageous and determined to implement plans for labor, production, and business to have counterpart funds to repair and build solid houses, stable housing, and gradually change their lives."

Along with Decree 28, as of December 2023, there are 10 loan programs implemented in 3 mountainous communes of Vinh Linh district with a total outstanding policy credit balance of over 45 billion VND for about 890 borrowers. Thanks to preferential capital sources, many households are able to raise 2-3 children to study, have capital to invest in renovating mixed gardens, purchasing machinery, expanding livelihood conversion models, creating new jobs, and increasing income.

Mr. Thieu Quang An added: “From now until 2025, the unit will complete the procedures and disburse funds to the remaining households in need according to the decision of the People's Committee of Vinh Linh district. In addition, it will advise and coordinate to organize loans for other purposes including: supporting residential land; supporting production land; supporting vocational training, job conversion; supporting value chain production development... Thereby bringing many preferential capital sources to households in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, contributing to promoting the socio-economic development of remote and isolated areas of Vinh Linh district”.

Nguyen Trang