Leveraging sustainable livelihoods

In recent years, in addition to funding from the central government budget, local government funds entrusted through the Social Policy Bank (SPB) have increasingly played an important role in supporting the people. The proper and effective use of these funds not only helps people stabilize their family economies and create jobs, but also contributes to promoting sustainable livelihoods and gradually improving their quality of life.

• Loan disbursements under policy programs in 2024 will exceed 1,000 billion VND.
• Competing to bring policy-based capital to the people.

According to the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP) , to date, total loan disbursements have reached VND 640 billion, with nearly 15,000 customers accessing loans. Loan collection during the same period reached VND 419 billion. The current outstanding loan balance is VND 4,633 billion, an increase of VND 220 billion compared to the end of 2024, achieving 81% of the assigned loan growth target. These figures demonstrate the effective partnership of the VBSP in supporting production and business development and stabilizing people's incomes.

Currently, there are over 134,000 customers with outstanding loans at the bank, with an average loan amount of approximately 34 million VND per person. The average loan amount is now nearly 43 million VND per person, an increase of more than 2.5 million VND compared to the end of last year. This clearly demonstrates that policy-based capital is increasingly aligned with the actual needs of the people, especially poor and near-poor households and other disadvantaged groups.

People in Nam Can commune borrow capital to develop production, increase income, and stabilize their lives.

Mr. Pham Cong Kha, Deputy Director of the Cai Nuoc Branch of the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies, said: "The locality is one of the places with a high level of entrusted capital, reaching over 5.9 billion VND. This capital has promptly supported people with funds to create jobs, a very practical need at present."

In reality, while central government loan programs primarily focus on supporting poor and near-poor households and rural sanitation, local government funding helps meet the capital needs of other groups. This is especially true in the areas of job creation, helping people expand production and stabilize their lives. Through this, local authorities can be more proactive and flexible in implementing socio -economic development policies.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Dong, Deputy Director of the Social Policy Bank of the province, commented: "Since the implementation of Directive 40-CT/TW, dated November 22, 2014, of the Party Central Committee on strengthening the Party's leadership over social policy credit, the mobilization and use of entrusted capital from local budgets through the Social Policy Bank has seen positive changes. To date, the total entrusted capital from local budgets in the province has reached 367 billion VND. This figure shows the attention of the government at all levels to poverty reduction and improving the lives of the people."

In 2025 alone, the province allocated over 61 billion VND to continue supporting poor and near-poor households and other policy beneficiaries with loans. With this capital, people not only have more resources for production and livestock farming but can also borrow money for their children's education, housing construction, clean water projects, and even for overseas employment.

Funding from local budgets is not only valuable financially, but also creates a positive social effect, helping to curb usurious lending and illegal credit practices. At the same time, it strengthens people's trust in the policies of the Party and the State.

Many young people in Ho Thi Ky commune have received loans to create jobs, develop their businesses, and increase their income.

The province's annual growth rate of entrusted capital consistently exceeds the assigned plan. During the 2021-2025 period, the province aims to allocate at least 5 billion VND annually to supplement this capital source. The province also aims for entrusted capital from the local budget to account for 15% of the total policy credit capital of the entire province by 2030. This is a clear direction, demonstrating a determination to support the people, especially the poor, in the process of sustainable development.

According to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Dong, to further improve the efficiency of using local budget funds, close coordination is needed between state agencies, the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP), and socio- political organizations. Authorities at all levels need to continue to pay close attention, provide thorough guidance, and allocate stable resources. At the same time, the VBSP needs to continue improving procedures, applying technology, and ensuring transparency in disbursement to better serve the people.

Close coordination between the Provincial People's Council, departments, agencies, and political and social organizations will be a crucial factor in ensuring that policy capital continues to play its role as a practical and effective tool in economic development, social security, and sustainable poverty reduction in the province.

Hong Phuong

Source: https://baocamau.vn/don-bay-thuc-day-sinh-ke-ben-vung-a101001.html