The Vietnamese Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs has urged provinces and cities to provide lists of poor and near-poor families for the government’s support. Deputy Minister Nguyen Trong Dam has asked relevant agencies to calculate the personal income of the poor families during the last 12 months, adding that calculations must not be inclusive of any financial aid given by the government. Households living close to the poverty line are those living in cities with an average income of VND501,000 to VND650,000/person/monthly and those in rural areas with an average income of VND401,000 to VND520,000/person/monthly, the poverty line showed. While families have income of less than VND500,000 per person per month in cities and less than VND400,000 per person per month in rural areas are deemed poor. While conducting the survey, investigators must draw participation of over 50% of residents of a locality having impoverished families, Dam noted, adding that localities are required to submit their findings to the ministry no later than Nov 30, 2011. Localities nationwide have helped build houses for 395,000 out of total 496,000 poor households so far under the government’s program on supporting houses for the needy which is due for completion by end-2011, one year ahead of the schedule. Vietnam reports 3.05 million poor households and 1.61 million near-poor ones, accounting for 14.2% and 7.53% of its total 87-million population, the ministry said. This year, the country will spend nearly VND1.81 trillion ($87 million) on a sustainable poverty reduction program and targets to cut the poverty rate to between 4%-5% by 2020 from 9.45% in 2010. (Sai Gon Giai Phong –Saigon Liberation Oct 20)
