The Vietnamese government spent over VND14.03 trillion ($719.49 million) on a poverty reduction program for ethnic minorities and mountainous communes in 2006-2010 or Program 135 Phase II, the Nhan Dan newspaper reported Jan 4. The information was released at a conference in Hanoi on Jan 4 to review the implementation of the Program 135 Phase II, which targeted to support the poor in disadvantaged areas. Up to VND13 trillion out of the total spending has been disbursed for component projects during the five-year program, it added. Thanks to the program, over 80% of the communes now have medical clinics, Chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Minorities Giang Seo Phu said, adding that the rate of poor households in ethnic-inhabited areas fell to 28.8% in 2010 from 47% in 2006. Intellectual standards of the locals have been improved and social security and economic development remain sound, he also said. A report by the committee, however, showed that the weaknesses still remain during the program’s implementation, especially the use of capital. In fact, the starting point of ethnic regions was low, thus, the investment could not make stronger changes in these localities, Phu admitted, adding that VND29 trillion was initially planned for the program, but only VND14 trillion was poured into it so far. The third phase of the program will continue focusing on policies of production land, houses and water demand for the poor and investing in infrastructure, medical services as part of efforts to raise living conditions of local residents. (Nhan Dan – The People Jan 5 p1, vovnews.vn Jan 4)
