The draft Decree regulating national multidimensional poverty standards for the period 2026-2030 is being urgently finalized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and submitted to the Government for consideration and promulgation. The document consists of 4 articles, stipulating that the subjects of application are households according to the Law on Residence, along with relevant agencies, organizations and individuals.
A highlight is that the draft has developed a set of multidimensional poverty measurement criteria with two main pillars: income and the level of basic social service shortage. In rural areas, the proposed average income per capita is 2.2 million VND/month, while in urban areas it is 2.8 million VND/month. The sixties of the shortage include employment, healthcare, education, housing, information, and domestic water, sanitation and the environment.
Regarding the determination of the poverty line, in rural areas, households with an average income per capita of 1.9 million VND/month or less, or from 1.9 to 2.2 million VND/month but lacking 3 or more basic social service indexes, are identified as poor households. In urban areas, the corresponding standard is from 2.5 million VND or less, or from 2.5 to 2.8 million VND with a shortfall of 3 indicators or more. The near-poor household in the two regions are regulated in the same income range but lacking below 3 indicators.
The draft also clearly assigns responsibilities to ministries, branches and localities. The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment shall preside over and guide the annual review and recognition process of poor and near-poor households; application of information technology in data management; inspection, supervision and summary by 2030.
The Ministry of Finance will balance the budget and announce the annual multidimensional poverty rate. The Ministry of Health is responsible for the standards for domestic water and hygienic wastewater. The Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front is assigned to supervise the implementation process, ensuring publicity and transparency. People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities will develop implementation plans, announce review results and may adjust criteria higher than national standards to suit local conditions.
In the previous period, according to Decree 07/2021/ND-CP, the poverty standard for the period 2022-2025 was applied to lower income: 1.5 million VND/month in rural areas and 2 million VND/month in urban areas. Along with that, the National Target Program on Sustainable Poverty Reduction for the period 2021-2025 has been implemented, setting the goal of multidimensional, inclusive poverty reduction, limiting falling back into poverty and improving access to basic social services for people.
The issuance of the new poverty standard will be an important basis for evaluating and supporting poor and near-poor households in the coming period, contributing to the implementation of the goal of sustainable, fair and comprehensive poverty reduction.
