Vietnam Biggest City Aims to Cut Poor Household Rate by 2% This Year

Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City, the most populous city of Vietnam, have set a target of reducing the percentage of poor households citywide by 2% by end-2013 from 2.12% at end-2012. To obtain this target, local authorities have asked agencies and departments to mobilize all available resources in support of the poor and social welfare beneficiaries, as part of the city’s master plan on socio-economic development by 2020. By 2016, the city aims to raise the poverty standard to VND16 million ($761) per person per annum from the current VND12 million ($571). Local authorities spent VND118 billion on poverty reduction activities last year. The municipal Fund for the Poor helped build and repair nearly 2,000 gratitude houses, provide over 20,000 scholarships and 130 means of transport and offered soft loans to the poor. The rate of local poor families fell to 2.12% by end-2012 from 3.78% in 2011 and 9.4% in 2009. (Ha Noi Moi – New Hanoi May 14 p2)