Removing barriers and unlocking resources to implement Program 1719 (Part 1): Above all, for the people

(Baothanhhoa.vn) - Program 1719 has been contributing to changing the face of many villages, hamlets, and households in the highlands and border areas. In the context of many difficulties and challenges, to promote the program's role in social life requires the continuous efforts of Party committees and authorities at all levels with the goal of leaving no one behind.

The project to resettle and stabilize the households in Min and Luoc Lau villages, Muong Min commune, has been basically completed using funds from Program 1719. Photo: Do ​​Duc

Bringing joy to the underprivileged.

After a long wait, the family of Vi Thi Tac (23 years old), living in Min village, Muong Min commune, will be relocated to a resettlement area along with 80 other households living in high-risk disaster zones within the commune. For so long, their lives have been a struggle to make ends meet at the foot of the hill by the stream, with two young children to care for, so the couple hasn't been able to save much. The four members of this small family still live in a dilapidated stilt house of only about 20 square meters, precariously situated beside National Highway 217.

Ms. Tac was born into poverty in Chanh village, Son Thuy commune. She grew up and moved to Min village with her husband, but their circumstances remained unchanged; they were still a poor household. She recounted: “Many stormy nights, with rain leaking from above and wind blowing through the walls, the whole house was like a tree swaying in the wind. My husband and I had to quickly wrap the two children in a mat and rush to a neighbor's house for shelter.”

They knew the hardships and dangers, but the couple had no other choice. With the wife working in the forest and the husband as a hired laborer, they couldn't possibly afford to buy a plot of land to live on.

Until the day the authorities announced that the State would provide land for housing, and the resettlement project for the households in Min and Luoc Lau villages, Muong Min commune, began on Pom Dung hill behind their house, the couple smiled with tears in their eyes. She confided: "Even though we know moving to a new place will cost money to build a house, and we can borrow money to pay it back gradually, being able to live in a safe place is already a great happiness."

The project to resettle and stabilize the households of Min and Luoc Lau villages in Muong Min commune has a total investment of over 26.7 billion VND, mainly from Program 1719 funds, and is built on an area of ​​5.2 hectares. With complete essential infrastructure serving daily life, the project is bringing hope for change to hundreds of people.

The project to resettle and stabilize the households in Min and Luoc Lau villages, Muong Min commune, has been basically completed using funds from Program 1719.

Although not residing in a high-risk disaster area, the family of Mr. Vi Van Lot (68 years old) in Chieng village, Thang Loc commune, also received practical support from Program 1719. Despite being a poor household with land, until March 2025, his entire family of six, including the elderly and children, lived in a thatched house. With 40 million VND from Program 1719 and another 40 million VND from the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee, Mr. Lot's family borrowed additional funds from relatives to complete a new, sturdy house overlooking the rice fields. Last year, also from Program 1719 funds, his family received a clean water tank worth 3 million VND.

It's not that his family lacked ambition to escape poverty, but in this area, simply having enough to eat was a daunting task. Firstly, transportation was difficult, far from the old district center; secondly, there wasn't much arable land. Mr. Lot's family of six only had a little over 2 sao (approximately 0.2 hectares) of rice paddies and 1 hectare of acacia forest. From the time they planted the acacia, it took at least 5 years before they could sell it, yielding an income of about 20 million dong. Mr. and Mrs. Lot were elderly and frail, so they mainly stayed home to look after their grandchildren and raise chickens; their son and his wife tried various jobs but couldn't make ends meet.

During the period 2021-2025, three projects for the resettlement and stabilization of concentrated populations were implemented in the former districts of Muong Lat, Quan Hoa, and Quan Son, with a total investment of over 79.4 billion VND, of which 72.7 billion VND came from Program 1719. To date, two projects have been completed, and one project has reached over 80% completion. It is expected that 243 households living in high-risk areas will be resettled in these three projects.

Now that the new house is finished, Mr. Lot looks around with overflowing joy. He thinks that with a stable home, his son and his wife will have more motivation to work hard. His grandchildren will have more motivation to study and keep up with their peers. "Now my wife and I can close our eyes and pass away peacefully," Mr. Lot confided from the bottom of his heart.

The target has been basically met.

Many more vulnerable individuals have received support from the Party and the State through Program 1719. These include impoverished households facing hardship and deprivation in all aspects: housing, land for production, access to information, employment, and health insurance. Program 1719 was created to support such individuals, ensuring that no one is left behind, and that ethnic minority and mountainous regions can soon narrow the gap with the lowlands, leading to peace and civilized villages. Therefore, this program is a beautiful symbol of humanity, shining brightly with the special care and attention of the Party and the State to the lives of ethnic minorities and people in mountainous areas.

With support from Program 1719, the family of Mr. Vi Van Lot in Chieng village, Thang Loc commune, has built a spacious new house.

However, for the program to be implemented amidst numerous difficulties and challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the delayed issuance of some legal documents, the entire political system, from the provincial level to the grassroots, had to engage with the highest determination, prioritizing the well-being of the people and ensuring their safety and property above all else. This determination was first demonstrated by the establishment of a steering committee for national target programs from the provincial to the grassroots level in Thanh Hoa province, chaired by the Party Secretary, with specific working regulations and clear assignments of tasks, responsibilities, and timelines for each member. Practical experience shows that having the Party Secretary as the head of the steering committee has brought about high unity in leadership and direction, creating continuity in the implementation of related tasks, not only for Program 1719.

At the same time, to promptly address difficulties and obstacles and accelerate the disbursement of public investment capital, the Provincial People's Committee established 5 working groups, headed by leaders of the Provincial People's Committee, to regularly inspect the sites, directly supervise, and urge the resolution of obstacles and bottlenecks. This has contributed to speeding up the implementation and disbursement of projects in the province, including those funded by Program 1719.

The National Target Program 1719 is designed with 10 projects and 14 sub-projects. The program aims for multiple objectives, such as exploiting the potential and advantages of localities in ethnic minority and mountainous regions; promoting innovation and economic development, ensuring social security; achieving rapid and sustainable poverty reduction, gradually narrowing the gap in living standards and average income between the region and the national average; gradually reducing the number of extremely difficult communes and villages; significantly improving the lives of the people; increasing the quantity and quality of ethnic minority cadres, civil servants, and workers; preserving and promoting the beautiful cultural identity of ethnic minorities while eliminating outdated customs...

According to Deputy Director of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions Le Minh Hanh: With many efforts and endeavors, Thanh Hoa has basically completed the targets of Program 1719 in the 2021-2025 period, such as: the percentage of communes with paved or concrete roads leading to the commune center; the percentage of schools and classrooms built solidly; the percentage of health stations built solidly; the percentage of households using the national power grid and other suitable power sources... The results achieved in implementing Program 1719 have made an important contribution to socio-economic development, ensuring national defense and security, improving the material and spiritual lives of the people, creating strong and substantive changes in the appearance of rural areas in ethnic minority and mountainous regions. In 2024, the poverty rate in ethnic minority and mountainous regions will decrease to 8.6% (a decrease of 6.73% compared to 2023). Average per capita income has steadily increased over the years, reaching 44.39 million VND/person in 2024.

Despite numerous difficulties in both conditions and policy mechanisms, thanks to the synchronized and decisive involvement of the political system from the provincial to the grassroots level, the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development of Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas, giai đoạn 2021-2030, Phase I: From 2021 to 2025, approved by Decision No. 1719/QD-TTg dated October 14, 2021 of the Prime Minister (hereinafter referred to as Program 1719) has achieved many positive results. However, the difficulties and the context following the streamlining of the organizational structure require more appropriate adjustments in policy design as well as the methods of organizing the implementation of the program for the 2026-2030 period.

Do Duc

Lesson 2: The difficulty doesn't entirely lie in a lack of determination.

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/go-bo-rao-can-khoi-thong-nguon-luc-thuc-hien-chuong-trinh-1719-bai-1-tren-het-la-vi-nguoi-dan-256102.htm