Positive effects from a program

Many programs to support ethnic minority areas in Son La to convert crops have been effective.

Son La province has gradually improved the appearance of rural mountainous areas, raised the material and spiritual life of ethnic minorities, contributed to ensuring social security, preserving cultural identity and strengthening national unity.

During the 2021-2025 period, Son La province has issued a total of 178 documents implementing the Program, including Resolutions of the People's Council, decisions and instructions of the People's Committee of Son La province and related departments and branches. The total capital mobilized for the program during this period is more than VND 8,690 billion, of which the central budget accounts for more than VND 6,154 billion, the local budget is more than VND 310 billion, and credit loans are more than VND 2,128 billion. Resources are focused on prioritizing investment in 10 component projects, including: infrastructure development, production support, education , health, culture, sustainable poverty reduction, preserving national identity and implementing gender equality. By early July 2025, Son La province had disbursed more than VND 3,434 billion, reaching nearly 70% of the assigned capital plan. Of which, the investment capital alone achieved a disbursement rate of 80%, focusing on essential projects such as: roads, schools, water supply works, markets, medical stations, cultural houses... helping to improve the living conditions of people in remote, isolated and border areas.

Comrade Nguyen Viet Hung, Director of the Provincial Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions, said that the Program has set many specific goals on income, infrastructure, education, health , culture, social security, and so far most of them have achieved or exceeded the set plan. The average income of ethnic minorities by the end of 2025 in Son La is expected to reach 39.2 million VND/person/year, double that of 2020. The rate of poor and near-poor households has decreased by an average of 4.47%/year; 100% of communes have asphalted or concreted car roads to the center; 78.3% of villages have hardened car roads to the center. The rate of population using grid electricity is 99.5%; the rate of rural population using clean water is 97.5%. The rate of school-age students attending all levels from 5-year-old kindergarten to high school is over 90%, with primary and secondary school reaching over 98%. The rate of people who can read and write in Mandarin is over 94%.

The program has had a clear impact on social services, such as: 98% of ethnic minorities participate in health insurance; more than 80% of women give birth at medical facilities and receive medical support; the rate of malnourished children has decreased to 17.4%. The arrangement of stable residence for households that migrated without planning and households in areas at risk of natural disasters has been focused on, reaching more than 80% of the plan. The rate of villages with community houses reached 92.5%; 100% of villages have art troupes and clubs operating regularly. The rate of ethnic minority cadres at the commune level reached more than 86%, at the district level reached more than 35%, and at the provincial level reached more than 26%...

During the implementation of the Program, Son La province paid special attention to propaganda, training and communication about the program. From reporters, propagandists, mass media, social networks to forms of dramatization, competitions, conferences in communes and villages were all implemented synchronously and effectively. Thanks to that, awareness and consensus in the community were significantly raised. At the grassroots level, people clearly understood the role of the Program's subjects, actively contributed labor and construction materials, participated in production models, and organized their own livelihoods. Along with that, the province also focused on gender mainstreaming, promoting gender equality in component projects, especially Project 8 on women and children. Thanks to that, the gender gap in labor, employment, access to health services, education was gradually narrowed, contributing to reducing the situation of early marriage and incestuous marriage.

Along with the achieved results, the implementation of the Program still faces some difficulties. In particular, the disbursement rate of public capital is low, especially for sub-projects supporting production development. Some implementation guidance documents are issued slowly; the participation of some levels and sectors is still lacking in determination and the detailed capital allocation mechanism is still rigid and inflexible for localities. Subjectively, some officials are still confused and do not fully understand the mechanism; the allocation of counterpart capital in some districts is still slow and lacks resources.

Due to the above difficulties, Son La province has proposed that the Central Government continue to maintain the Program in the period of 2026-2030. At the same time, it is stated that in the next period of 2026-2030, the total capital demand of the province is more than 5,450 billion VND, equal to the capital allocated for the period of 2021-2025. Of which, development investment capital accounts for more than 4,000 billion VND, an increase of 30% compared to the previous period; career capital is more than 1,399 billion VND, a decrease of 40% to focus on projects that bring long-term efficiency such as production, education, and social security. The province also proposed to adjust the support level for hardening roads to 3.6 billion VND/km, in accordance with the actual price of materials and mountainous terrain...

During the 5 years of implementing the Program, the Provincial Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions has effectively carried out inspection and supervision work, coordinated with departments, branches and localities to remove difficulties and make flexible adjustments to achieve the set goals. Through inspections, it can be seen that the participation of people in the entire process from planning to implementation has created consensus, spread widely, contributed to improving the lives of ethnic minorities, and created new momentum for sustainable socio-economic development in Son La ■

Article and photos: QUOC TUAN

Source: https://nhandan.vn/hieu-ung-tich-cuc-tu-mot-chuong-trinh-post894695.html