Vietnam to Finalize Database on Poverty Reduction

The Vietnamese Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) is rushing to finalize a database on poverty reduction serving for a national target program on poverty reduction between 2011 and 2015, the government said on its website Jan 18. The ministry aims to early complete investigation and assessment of poor households and establish a database on poverty reduction in 2011, which is expected to facilitate making policies and monitoring poverty reduction in the country. The country have gained considerable achievements in reducing poor households with the poverty rate sharply felling to 9.45% in 2010 from 11.3% in 2009 and 22% in 2005, said MoLISA’s Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan. Ngan, however, added that poverty reduction is still unsustainable, the number of near-poor households is rather high with 70%-80%, and the ratio of households that are living under poverty line remains soaring. The national target program will prioritize to the most disadvantageous and poorest areas, such as the northern mountainous provinces, the central highlands, the southwestern region, islands, and areas of ethnic minority groups. Under the new poverty standard, households are considered poor if family members have monthly per-capital income under VND500,000 ($25) in urban areas and less than VND400,000 ($20) in rural areas. Vietnam targets to cut the poverty rate to between 4% and 5% by 2020, from the current rate of 9.45%, under the new poverty line expected to be applied from 2011, the ministry said. (news.gov.vn Jan 18)