Solid support for the highlanders

QTO - Decree 28/2022/ND-CP on preferential credit policies to implement the national target program on socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas from 2021 to 2030, phase 1: From 2021-2025 (referred to as Decree 28) has truly become a solid foundation, creating motivation for people in the highlands to rise up and escape poverty sustainably. From this source of capital, many households have more conditions to develop production, build stable housing, and gradually improve the quality of life.

Following the staff of the Dakrong Social Policy Bank, we visited the family of Ms. Pham Thi Le in Phu Thanh village, Huong Hiep commune. This is one of the households that borrowed and effectively used capital according to Decree 28. Her family has a total of 6 members, in addition to her elderly mother, there are 3 young children. Her husband is disabled, and Ms. Le herself does not have a stable job, so life is very difficult.

“In the past, the whole family was crowded into a house built of rickety planks, “sun to the face, rain to the head”. The dream of a solid house for the children to not worry about when the wind blew was never realized,” Ms. Le recalled.

Fortunately, she was able to access the preferential credit program under Decree 28 through the Bank for Social Policies. With 40 million VND in preferential loans, along with local counterpart funds and loans from relatives, she and her husband were able to build a solid house. Sitting in the new house, Ms. Le emotionally shared: “Having a decent house, my children have a place to study and sleep in peace. My husband and I are now focusing on growing cajuput trees and raising livestock to earn money to raise our children and pay off bank loans. Thanks to preferential capital from the Bank for Social Policies, poor households like us are gradually realizing our dreams.”

Preferential loans from Decree 28/2022/ND-CP help Ms. Le's family (left) have a solid house - Photo: TP

Mr. Cao Tien Anh, in Luong Nang village, Kim Dien commune, is another case that has been helped by the credit program under Decree 28. Many years ago, his family's circumstances were very difficult. The income from slash-and-burn farming was not enough for his three children to have full meals. In 2023, Mr. Anh was guided by a bank officer to complete the procedures for a preferential loan under Decree 28, with a total amount of 100 million VND. This amount of money helped him invest in 3 hectares of acacia trees and raise 2 more cows.

Up to now, the acacia forest has been harvested for the third year, and the cows are growing healthily. Thanks to that, his family has escaped poverty and become a near-poor household. “The loan program under Decree 28 has a preferential interest rate of 3%/year, a maximum loan term of 15 years, in which the first 5 years do not have to pay the principal, making my family very happy and confident to focus on economic development,” Mr. Anh confided.

Decree 28, issued by the Government since 2022, stipulates preferential credit policies to implement the national target program on socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas for the period 2021-2030, has become a solid foundation for poor and near-poor households of ethnic minorities in the country in general and Quang Tri province in particular. The Decree allows loans to support residential land, production land, production investment, job conversion, development of medicinal plant growing areas, value chain construction... with an interest rate of only 3%/year, maximum loan term of up to 15 years for housing, 10 years for other purposes.

Up to now, the total outstanding debt from the program has reached more than 73 billion VND, with 1,406 customers still in debt. From preferential loans, temporary houses have been replaced with solid roofs; barren gardens are now covered with fruit trees and livestock. Poor households in the province have resources to develop production, eliminate temporary houses, contribute to sustainable poverty reduction and shorten the regional gap.

Director of the Bank for Social Policies of Quang Tri province, Tran Duc Xuan Huong, said that implementing Decree 28 of the Government , authorities at all levels, departments, branches and organizations have actively directed the propaganda and implementation of policies to the people. Most of the disbursed capital has reached the right beneficiaries, and the loans have been used for the right purposes and effectively. Thanks to timely capital, poor households have the conditions to develop production, contributing to the goal of poverty reduction, job stabilization and social security in the area.

“The Government’s Decree 28 has created a driving force for ethnic minorities and mountainous areas in the province to develop their economy, escape poverty sustainably, and get rich on their homeland. From there, the gap between rural and urban areas will gradually be eliminated. In the coming time, the Provincial Bank for Social Policies will continue to disseminate capital policies to the people. At the same time, it will coordinate with departments, branches, and localities to review existing difficulties and problems, creating the best conditions for people to access preferential credit policies when needed,” said Ms. Huong.

Truc Phuong

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/kinh-te/202509/be-do-vung-chac-cho-dong-bao-vung-cao-e6248b5/