National Target Program on Socio-Economic Development of Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas: Prosperity of Highlanders

In the first half of 2025, Binh Thuan has made efforts to implement the national target program (NTP) on socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas (EMMA) in a synchronous, drastic and effective manner.

In recent years, ethnic minority areas in Binh Thuan have seen significant improvements thanks to the effective implementation of national target programs (NTPs). The material and spiritual life of the people has been improved, infrastructure has been improved, contributing to narrowing the development gap compared to other regions in the province. Since the beginning of 2025, the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions has proactively advised the Provincial People's Committee to submit to the Provincial People's Council a resolution on allocating development investment capital plans, a decision to assign the 2025 investment capital plan to units and localities, and at the same time issued a plan to implement the 2025 program. In addition, all 5/5 districts with ethnic minority areas have submitted to the district-level People's Councils to allocate capital according to their authority. To ensure the implementation progress, the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions has also issued many documents requesting departments, branches, sectors and localities to urgently implement the contents of the 2025 program. At the same time, it organized inspections of the implementation in the communes: My Thanh, Ham Can (Ham Thuan Nam), Dong Giang, Dong Tien, La Da (Ham Thuan Bac) and La Ngau (Tanh Linh).

Sheep farming in Ham Can commune (Ham Thuan Nam).

By the end of May 2025, many projects under the program have begun to disburse capital, specifically: Project 1 (Resolving residential land, housing, production land, domestic water): 58 million VND. Project 3 - Sub-project 2 (Developing production according to value chains, startups): 68 million VND. Project 4 - Sub-project 1 (Investing in essential infrastructure): 6,585 million VND. Project 5 - Sub-project 1 (Developing ethniceducation , eliminating illiteracy): 2,039 million VND. Project 6 (Preserving culture associated with tourism): 759 million VND. Project 8 (Gender equality, caring for women and children): 68 million VND. Project 9 - Sub-project 2 (Reducing child marriage, incestuous marriage): 63 million VND. Project 10 (Propaganda, inspection, and supervision of the program): 82 million VND. These projects contribute to improving living conditions, production and access to social services of ethnic minorities, especially in remote and disadvantaged areas.

Irrigation lake in Phan Dung commune (Tuy Phong).

However, despite some initial results, the implementation of the National Target Program still faces many difficulties and challenges. Accordingly, the allocation of central career capital in 2025 took place late (until mid-April), while this year is the last year of phase 1, with only more than 6 months left to organize implementation and disbursement. Many support levels (such as housing support of only 40 million VND/household from the central budget) are no longer suitable for the current price level, while the counterpart and self-reliance of the people are still limited. Some ethnic minority households cannot access the loan policy despite preferential interest rates because they do not meet the repayment conditions. The beneficiaries are still narrow, mainly poor households, not covering groups at risk of falling back into poverty, near-poor or ethnic groups with very few people.

Therefore, to ensure the completion of the targets of the National Target Program in 2025, departments, branches and localities need to resolutely carry out tasks such as promptly advising on resolutions and decisions to adjust and allocate career capital in 2025; promptly deploy the construction of 2 pilot crematoriums in Tuy Phong and Bac Binh districts (under Project 4). Strengthen inspection and supervision of program implementation and assign responsibility to leaders in management and disbursement. Prioritize quick construction solutions, use local materials, mobilize local labor to both save costs and create livelihoods for people. Integrate the program with other National Target Programs such as sustainable poverty reduction and new rural construction. Promote the role of prestigious people in ethnic minority communities, promote propaganda and education to raise awareness and participation of people. Prevent and combat corruption and waste in the implementation process, ensure effective use of allocated resources...

With the achieved results, Binh Thuan will continue to effectively implement the programs in the coming time, striving to sustainably reduce poverty, improve income and living standards of ethnic minorities. The province will also focus on removing difficulties and obstacles in the implementation process, while promoting the role of the people in building and developing their homeland.

Source: https://baobinhthuan.com.vn/chuong-trinh-mtqg-phat-trien-kinh-te-xa-hoi-vung-dong-bao-dan-toc-thieu-so-va-mien-nui-khoi-sac-dong-bao-vung-cao-131348.html