On December 30, the Ethnic Committee held a conference to review the work in 2024 and deploy tasks for 2025.
Speaking at the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh said that the general picture of ethnic minority and mountainous areas has changed for the better; more and more bright examples of economic development have emerged from the potential and strengths of the locality.
Implementing the Central's direction on streamlining and restructuring the apparatus, in the coming time, part of the functions and tasks of the Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs and part of the functions and tasks of the Ministry of Home Affairs, which is the religious sector, will be merged into the Ethnic Committee.
It is expected to establish a Ministry of Ethnic Minorities and Religions, integrating functions and tasks on ethnic and mountainous policies, religious policies and policies related to poverty reduction.
In the spirit of a new, more streamlined and efficient apparatus, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh stated that the new apparatus and new ministry after the arrangement must be ready to take on new tasks.
This has its advantages but is more difficult due to the larger workload and there will also be certain fluctuations in the arrangement process.
The Ministry has just directed the implementation of two important national target programs, which are the national target program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas and the national target program for sustainable poverty reduction.
These two programs have many related components and are organically linked together because the common goal is to improve people's lives and ensure living conditions and living conditions for people.
When forming a new set, it is necessary to organize a conference to integrate the common contents of these two programs, in which it is necessary to clearly define the requirements for preparing for the content of the next stage of both programs, ensuring substance and effectiveness, thereby contributing to improving and enhancing the lives of our compatriots.
Another major task requested by the Permanent Deputy Prime Minister is to further accelerate the construction progress of infrastructure projects and disburse public investment for key projects in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.
Actively and proactively advise on the development of ethnic programs, projects and policies; perfect the institutions and legal system on ethnic work and ethnic policies.
Consider ethnic minority and mountainous work not only the responsibility of the Ethnic Committee but also the joint responsibility of all levels, sectors and localities in supporting and caring for the development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas.
"We need to determine a very high determination and political responsibility. There are many guidelines, mechanisms and policies for ethnic minority and mountainous areas, and investment resources are also very large and numerous, but we cannot do anything for the people, which is a shortcoming.
Our enthusiasm and responsibility must be even higher, we must see that the poverty and backwardness of our compatriots is our pain," the First Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.
