Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has urged the northern province of Hoa Binh to intensify poverty reduction and improve the living conditions for its ethnic minority communities, especially those living in far-flung areas. Speaking at the province’s conference for ethnic minorities on November 14, Phuc, who is head of the Northwestern Region Steering Committee, emphasized the need to address issues ethnic minority people are facing relating to capital, land for production and accommodation, and clean water. The province should guide them how to apply advanced technologies in production in an effort to raise labour productivity and incomes, he said. The Deputy PM asked local authorities to combine vocational training with job generation, as well as ensure political security and social order. The province was also requested to make full use of all resources to better the socio-economic infrastructure system in ethnic-inhabited areas, with the focus on building or upgrading roads, schools, and water and medical facilities. Hoa Binh province is now home to a number of ethnic groups, including Muong, Kinh, Thai, Tay , Dao, Hmong and Hoa. During the 2009-2014 period, thanks to nearly 540 billion USD (25.38 million USD) funded by the national target program on sustainable poverty reduction, the province has built 1,815 infrastructure facilities and 59 water supply works in disadvantaged communes, and helped poor households buy production machines, seeds and breeds. (vietnamplus.vn Nov 14)
