Talking numbers and positive changes
The Government has just issued Resolution No. 205/NQ-CP at the regular Government meeting in June 2025 and online conference with the Government and localities. In the resolution, the Government requested ministries, agencies and localities to continue reviewing, promptly issuing or submitting to competent authorities to issue legal documents and instructions on management and implementation of national target programs after the arrangement of administrative units at all levels and local government organizations at both levels.
Proactively evaluate the results of implementing national target programs of ministries, agencies and localities, closely coordinate with program management agencies and the Ministry of Finance to propose appropriate solutions for the coming period.
The Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religions shall preside over and coordinate with agencies and localities to carefully prepare the content of the National Conference summarizing the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minority Areas for the period 2021-2030; phase I: from 2021 to 2025, held in July 2025; complete the dossier to submit to the Government to report to the National Assembly on the implementation of this Program in phase II: from 2026 to 2030.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment shall preside over and coordinate with relevant agencies to complete the summary report of the national target program on new rural construction and the national target program on sustainable poverty reduction for the period 2021-2025; report to competent authorities before July 15.
This program is considered a historic decision, demonstrating the deep concern of the Party and State for the "poor" areas of the country.
One of the most outstanding achievements is poverty reduction and income improvement. The rate of poor households in ethnic minority areas has decreased by an average of 3.4% per year, exceeding the set target of over 3%.
More importantly, the average income per capita of ethnic minorities by the end of 2024 will reach 43.4 million VND, 3.1 times higher than in 2020 and is expected to reach 45.9 million VND by the end of 2025, an increase of 3.3 times. This is not only an increase in quantity but also a change in quality, showing that economic models have begun to be effective, helping people not only escape poverty but also get rich.
The foundation for this sustainable development is the infrastructure revolution. With a total development investment capital from the central budget of nearly VND50,000 billion, the appearance of communes and villages with special difficulties has changed dramatically.
New sustainable steps
In phase II (2026-2030), the implementation of the program continues to maintain the goal of exploiting the potential and advantages of localities in the region; innovation, promoting economic development, ensuring social security; rapid and sustainable poverty reduction, gradually narrowing the gap in living standards and income compared to the national average; planning, stabilizing the population, building a synchronous and inter-regional economic - social infrastructure system, connecting with developing regions; comprehensively developing education, training, healthcare, culture; significantly improving people's lives...
At the national conference summarizing the two national target programs on new rural construction and sustainable poverty reduction, Politburo member and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested the People's Committees of provinces and cities to urgently complete the Steering Committees at all levels immediately after the completion of the two-level local government to ensure uninterrupted direction of the implementation of the two national target programs from now until the end of 2025; pay attention to directing the stabilization of the team of cadres and apparatus working on new rural construction and poverty reduction in a professional and effective manner to continue performing tasks in the coming period.
In an interview with Lao Dong, National Assembly delegate Pham Trong Nghia (Lang Son delegation) said that phase II of the program will be a new sustainable step forward to help change the lives of people in the highlands. Therefore, the new period needs a new thinking, new approach orientation, in which building new rural areas is not only rich but also happy.
