Hanoi (VNA) – Hanoi has consistently implemented the policyof allocating large amount of resources to the development of mountainous andethnic minority areas in the city towards narrowing the gap between those areasand other localities, it was reported at a conference on October 3.

The third congress of ethnic minority groups in Hanoi, which took place onOctober 2 and 3, heard that in the capital’s investment plans both yearly andmedium-term, the municipal authority has always given priority to building infrastructurefacilities in the 14 communes with large communities of ethnic minority people.Those facilities are schools, medical stations, clean water supply systems,cultural houses, irrigation systems, rural roads, electricity grids andmarkets.

During 2013-2015, the city allocated 837.5 billion VND (36.2 million USDat current exchange rate) to 105 such projects, of which 99 projects werecompleted in 2015 and the remaining five in 2016.

In 2016, the municipal People’s Committee issued a resolution on themedium-term investment plan for 2016-2020, allocating 1 trillion VND to 69projects in socio-economic development projects in mountainous and ethnicminority areas during the five-year period. The projects cover health care,transport, education and irrigation. By now the municipal budget has disbursed850 billion VND for the projects.

Besides the investment, the city also undertook a policy on providingdirect support to poor ethnic people. Since 2014 to now, the Bank for SocialPolicies has lent over 214.2 billion VND to ethnic minority households livingunder or just above the poverty line and poor students.

The ethnic minority population of Hanoi totals 107,847, with 57.7 percent from the Muonggroup, 17.8 percent Tay, 6.6 percent Thai, 5.85 percent Nung, 4.32 percent Thaiand the remainder from 45 other ethnic groups. About 55,000 people, or 51percent of the ethnic minority population, live in big communities in 14communes of 5 districts, while the others are scattered in all 30 districts ofthe city.

Hailing the achievements made by the municipal Party committee and administrationas well as the ethnic minority people in the city, Chairman of the municipalPeople’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung pointed to the outstanding problems facingthe ethnic areas. He said the economic growth rate in those areas remains low,the economic restructuring process is slow and unstable, and their potential inagri-forestry-husbandry is yet to be fully tapped. Besides, the authorities insome localities remain passive, tending to rely on outside support.  

The official urged Party committees, authorities and people to workharder in carrying out the Party’s policies and State laws concerningsocio-economic development and poverty reduction. He called attention to thepreservation of the cultural identity of ethnic minority groups.

The congress agreed that efforts should be made to mobilises resources fromall sources for socio-economic development in ethnic minority areas towardslifting the development level of those areas to the average in the city’s ruralcommunes.

Mountainous communes with large ethnic minority communities will aim tomaintain an average economic growth rate of over 12 percent a year from now to2024, and increase per capita income by more than 20 percent a year to matchthe average level in rural areas in the same year.

Other goals are to have at least 90 percent of schools in those communesmeet national standards, at least 60 percent of the local workforce gettraining, and 100 percent of local households access clean water meeting urbanstandards.

In a speech at the congress,Minister-Chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs Do Van Chien affirmed that the entire political systemhas invested greatly in the comprehensive development of mountainous and ethnicminority areas.

He asked the congress to discuss ways to fully tap the potential andadvantages of mountainous and ethnic areas in Hanoi towards creating newlivelihoods and production chains, suggesting the use of suitable mechanismsand incentives on land, vocational training, credit and market./.