Vietnam has granted about VND400 billion ($21.6 million) to poor people on the occasion of the Lunar New Year. The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) estimates that as many as 700,000 poor families totaling 2.9 million people have been given VND200,000/family and about 1.3 million beneficiaries of social security have received gifts worth 200,000/person. According to reports, by Feb. 11, over 600,000 families and nearly 300,000 social beneficiaries were given gifts by 32 cities and provinces. In addition to State and provincial support, many localities, organizations, businesses and private donors have taken the initiative to help poor people welcome Tet this year. Ho Chi Minh City has spent VND41 billion, Hanoi VND18 billion and Quang Nam province VND14 billion. Localities have also provided much support to the elderly, orphans, the disabled, and disaster victims in 2009, says a MOLISA official.
