Yen Bai: Overcoming difficulties to effectively implement National Target Programs

Attending the Conference were: Representatives of the National Assembly's Ethnic Council; representatives of leaders of central departments, ministries and branches; Mr. Ha Viet Quan - Chief of the Office of Coordination of the National Target Program 1719; Mr. Dang Duc Thang - Director of the Credit Department of the Social Policy Bank; representatives of departments and units of the Ethnic Committee; representatives of leaders of departments, branches and branches of Yen Bai province.

According to the Report on the implementation of the National Target Programs for the period 2021 - 2025 of Yen Bai province, the total state budget capital plan for the period 2021 - 2025 is expected to be 5,085.98 billion VND. Of which, development investment capital is 3,036.5 billion VND, public service capital is 2,049.4 billion VND. In addition, it is expected to mobilize other capital sources to integrate and implement the National Target Programs at 18,744.9 billion VND.

The annual capital plan assigned (2021 - 2024) is 3,612.2 billion VND, equal to 71% of the plan for the period 2021 - 2025. Of which, development investment capital: 2,236.5 billion VND (100% allocated in detail for investment projects), equal to 73.7% of the plan for the period 2021 - 2025 (central budget capital 1,909.3 billion VND; local budget capital 327.2 billion VND); career capital is 1,375.763 billion VND (central budget capital). To date, 914.37 billion VND has been allocated, equal to 66.4% of the plan. The remaining unallocated capital is 461.39 billion VND.

Regarding the results of implementing the 2024 capital plan (including the capital plan for 2022 and 2023 extended to 2024), development investment capital, disbursement reached 468.6 billion VND/plan 788.4 billion VND, equal to 59.4% of the plan; disbursed career capital reached 32.9 billion VND/capital plan the province allocated 560.1 billion VND (including the amount extended from 2022 and 2023 to 2024), equal to 5.9%.

From 2021 to present, Yen Bai province has supported the renovation and repair of 3,954 houses for poor and near-poor households, of which the National Target Program 1719 has supported the renovation of 1,172 houses for poor households (653 houses in 2023, 519 houses in the first 7 months of 2024) and invested in 220 essential infrastructure works, serving production and life in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, including: 72 traffic works (about 130 km); 36 bridge, underground, embankment works; 22 irrigation works; 37 school works; 21 clean water works; 2 rural electricity works (about 18,500m), 10 market works and 20 cultural and sports works...

The poverty rate in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in 2023 will be 12.14% (an average decrease of 4.93% compared to 2022, exceeding the program's target of 3% by 1.93%), of which Mu Cang Chai district will decrease by 9.83% and Tram Tau district will decrease by 6.95%.

In 2023, the whole province will recognize 1 more new rural district, 7 new rural communes; 10 advanced new rural communes; 5 model communes. By the end of 2023, Yen Bai province has 106 communes meeting new rural standards, equal to 70.7% of the total number of communes in the province (including 17 communes in region III), reaching 84.1% of the central target; 37 communes meeting advanced new rural standards, reaching 82.2% of the central target; 11 communes meeting model new rural standards, reaching 61% of the central target; 4 district-level units meeting standards, completing the task of building new rural areas, reaching 80% of the central target (Tran Yen district; Yen Bai city; Nghia Lo town; Yen Binh district).

Up to now, basically, the difficulties and obstacles in the process of implementing the National Target Programs have been advised by ministries and branches to the Government and the Prime Minister to ensure the regulations; in addition, the National Assembly has issued Resolution No. 111/2024/QH15 on a number of specific mechanisms and policies for implementing the National Target Programs. However, there are still some contents that have not been guided. Specifically, regarding the National Target Program for Sustainable Poverty Reduction, there is no guidance on the criteria for defining "low income".

National Target Program 1719 is facing difficulties in implementing Sub-project 1, Project 3 on sustainable agricultural and forestry economic development associated with forest protection and increasing people's income; Sub-project 3, Project 5 on vocational education development and job creation for workers in ethnic minority and mountainous areas; Sub-project 1, Project 9 on Investment in socio-economic development of ethnic groups still facing many difficulties, ethnic groups with specific difficulties...

At the Conference, delegates discussed many contents about the achieved results and shortcomings and limitations; at the same time, proposed many solutions to remove difficulties of the province in implementing the National Target Programs related to mechanisms, policies and obstacles in some specific projects and sub-projects.

Speaking at the Conference, Chairman of Yen Bai Provincial People's Committee Tran Huy Tuan said that with the attention and determination of the entire political system in implementing the contents, projects and sub-projects of the National Target Programs, it has contributed to improving the material and spiritual life and happiness index of the people, especially ethnic minorities and mountainous areas.

Incorporating the opinions of delegates at the Conference, Yen Bai province will adjust the implementation contents more appropriately, paying attention to decentralization and delegation of power, ensuring the implementation of National Target Programs in a principled and effective manner.

Speaking at the Conference, Minister and Chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Minorities Hau A Lenh said that the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council and People's Committee of Yen Bai province have always closely followed and resolutely directed the implementation work seriously and comprehensively; cared for the people's lives, especially ethnic minorities and mountainous areas. Although the implementation of projects, sub-projects and components of the National Target Programs still has many difficulties and obstacles, the locality has had good and creative ways of doing things with many effective models, contributing to improving the material and spiritual life of the people.

Minister and Chairman Hau A Lenh emphasized that Yen Bai is one of the pioneering provinces with many specific policies for ethnic minorities, such as: Housing support policies, support for education and training development, improving the quality of human resources, promoting the prevention of child marriage and consanguineous marriage, supporting the preservation of cultural identity associated with tourism development with many good, effective and worth-learning models; People's health care work, with many effective propaganda methods, arousing the spirit of self-reliance and self-reliance of ethnic minorities.

"Yen Bai province needs to closely follow the direction of the Central Government, the Resolution of the National Assembly and ministries and branches to effectively implement the National Target Programs; pay attention to planning and training ethnic minority cadres; strengthen the connection between the government and the people, especially ethnic minorities, in which attention and focus on the team of prestigious people; promote communication work, raise awareness, self-reliance and self-reliance of ethnic minorities...", Minister and Chairman Hau A Lenh emphasized.