Soc Trang (VNA)༒ – The Khmer community, which makes up about 30% of the population of the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang, has enjoyed improved living conditions thanks to the support from the Party, State, and local administration.

Increased capital use efficiency

Soc Trang has eight districts, two townships, and a city with 108 communes. Over the years, the province has been effectively using central local budgets to carry out the National Target Programme to boost socioeconomic development in ethnic minority-inhabited and mountainous areas. Tran Khac Trung, Vice Chairman of the provincial Committee for Ethnic Affairs, said that thanks to the central investment capital and mobilised resources, Soc Trang has so far completed 15 out of the 24 targets and 16 out of the 40 specific criteria set for the 2021-2025 period, with the remaining scheduled to finish in 2025. Dai Tam commune, where 85% of residents are from the Khmer ethnic minority group, has been the first in My Xuyen and among the ethnic-minority-inhabited communes in the province to be recognised as a model new-style rural area. The commune has mobilised more than 26 billion VND (1.02 million USD) for the work. The per capita income of local residents reached 76.18 million VND in 2023, higher than the criteria for a model new-style rural area, while the poverty rate was 1.64%. Tran Chin Tam, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Dai Tam, said that the commune is home to the Kinh, Khmer and Hoa ethnic group, with great cultural diversity, which has been optimised for the building of new-style rural areas.

Improved life quality

Showing his delight at the positive changes of his homeland, Thach Ngoc Ba, a reputable person in Truong Khanh commune, said that the living conditions of Khmer people as well as other ethnic minority groups have improved significantly thanks to great support from the State. Roads connecting communes have been built, while a lighting system has been installed along all roads. In Vinh Chau township, where more than 52% of the population are Khmer and 17% are Hoa, local authorities have given special attention to supporting ethnic minority communities through National Target Programmes. These include programmes to speed up poverty reduction and promote socioeconomic development of ethnic minority-inhabited and mountainous areas. As a result, the material and spiritual lives of local people have been continuously improving. Tran Tri Van, Vice Chairman of the Vinh Chau People’s Committee, said that the whole political system of the locality has strongly engaged in implementing ethnic minority policies. This has resulted in improved living conditions, narrowing the gap in living standards and income between ethnic minority-inhabited areas and other parts of the province. It has gradually reduced the number of particularly disadvantaged hamlets, developing the infrastructure system to boost socioeconomic development, and improving people's lives. With the Government and Party's support policies, all communes in Soc Trang have schools and classrooms meeting standards for universal secondary education, along with healthcare stations meeting national standards. At the same time, 100% of the communes have wide roads, 100% of the hamlets and neighbourhoods have access to the national electricity grid, and more than 99.7% of ethnic minority households have enjoyed clean drinking water. The cultural identity and beautiful traditions of the ethnic minorities have been preserved and promoted. The lives of the Khmer people in Soc Trang have been continuously improving and becoming better day by day./.