A national conference to review policies for ethnic and mountainous areas opened in Hanoi on Apr 11 with the presence of PM Nguyen Tan Dung, Deputy PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Chairman of the Committee of Ethnic Minorities Giang Seo Phu. Over the past years, the Party and State have formulated a system of increasingly improved policies to boost socio-economic development, reduce poverty rate and raise living conditions for residents in those areas. Despite economic downturn, the Government allocated VND54,770 billion to finance development programs between 2006 and 2012. The second phase of the 135 Program, for example, focused on addressing most urgent issues of ethic and mountainous areas. Other effective policies include the program on fast and sustainable poverty reduction in 62 poorest districts, preferential credit for cultivation development and financial assistance for resettlement. Ethnic and mountainous areas account for nearly three-fourths of the country’s land, having the population of over 12.3 million, or 14.27% of the national population. (news.gov.vn April 11)
