According to the Hanoi Department of Labor, War-Invalids and Social Affairs, in the first half of 2012, 10,668 families have escaped poverty, reaching 46.5% of the year’s plan. The Department has proposed to the city People’s Committee adding VND 10 billion to supply loans to poor families and VND 5 billion for disabled people. According to the Bank for Social Policies, it has disbursed VND 173.5 billion in loans for poor families’ production, VND 3.5 billion for disabled people, VND 53 billion to build houses for poor families, and VND 15.235 billion to support poor families raising reproductive cows. Besides, districts have given free medical insurance cards to over 2 million poor people and disabled people, assisted power fees for the poor, and given monthly social allowance to 130,000 people. In the second half of 2012, the department will strive to realize the poverty reduction goal for the year, proposing to the city People’s Committee an increased amount of social allowance and a plan to assist people with disabilities in the 2012-2015 period. (Hanoitimes.com.vn June 14)
