Hanoi (VNA) – The Party, Stateand people always bear in mind the great sacrifices and contributions of revolutionists,heroic martyrs, war invalids and soldiers to the struggles for nationalindependence and freedom, said Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

The Party leader was addressing a grandceremony in Hanoi on July 27 to mark the 70th anniversary of the WarInvalids and Martyrs Day (July 27), which saw the attendance of leaders andformer leaders of the Party, State, Government, National Assembly and VietnamFatherland Front, along with Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, veterans, relatives ofmartyrs and revolutionary contributors, among others.

He said millions of people laid downtheir lives for national independence and freedom, as well as peaceful and happylives of the people.

The Party chief underlined the traditionof “When drinking water, remember its source” and recalled late President HoChi Minh’s care for war invalids and martyrs’ families.

Over the past 70 years, especially during30 years of reform, the Party and State have paid heed to the work by issuing arange of guidelines, policies and laws.

More than 9 million revolutionary contributors have benefited from preferentialpolicies, while over 4 million contributors were presented with orders, medalsand other noble titles, he added.

From 2007-2016, over 182,000 houses ofgratitude were built and upgraded, and more than 133,000 savings books weregranted to families of revolutionary contributors, Party General SecretaryTrong noted.

“Caring and improving the material andspiritual lives of war invalids, families of martyrs and revolutionarycontributors are the consistent guideline of our Party and State, and thetradition of our nation,” he stressed.

In that spirit, the Party chief urgedParty Committees, administrations, Vietnam Fatherland Front at all levels andsocial organisations to continue popularising the Party’s and State’s relevantguidelines and policies on war invalids, martyrs’ families and revolutionarycontributors among officials, Party members and the people.

“The awareness should be turned intopractical and concrete actions, thus helping to well perform preferentialpolicies on revolutionary contributors,” he said.

The Party leader emphasised the need topay due attention to families of revolutionary contributors living in difficultcircumstances and residing in ethnic minority-inhabited, remote and isolateareas as well as in the areas which were revolutionary bases, striving to leavenone of them in poverty.

It is expected that by 2020, allfamilies of revolutionary contributors will enjoy living standards equal orhigher than the average in their residential areas, according to the Partychief.

To that end, it is a must to raisecapacity and efficiency of State management over the work in tandem withreviewing and completing relevant policies and laws, he added.-VNA