Merging 3 National Target Programs to prioritize resources for ethnic minorities

Continuing the 51st session, on the evening of November 24, the National Assembly Standing Committee gave opinions on the investment policy of the National Target Program on new rural areas, sustainable poverty reduction, and socio -economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas until 2035.

Presenting the Government 's report, Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Duc Thang said that by the end of October 2025, 3 National Target Programs for the period 2021-2025 (New rural construction; Sustainable poverty reduction; Socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas).

In order to manage more consistently, effectively, substantially and sustainably, overcome the situation of overlapping, dispersion of resources, duplication of tasks and fragmentation of policies in the National Target Programs, the Government has proposed an investment policy for the National Target Program on new rural construction, sustainable poverty reduction and socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas for the period 2026-2035 on the basis of integrating 3 National Target Programs for the period 2021-2025.

Mr. Tran Duc Thang affirmed that the unification of the 3 Programs is extremely important to realize the Party and State's goal of making the people rich, the country strong, and the people have a prosperous and happy life; this is the highest goal, and requires unified awareness.

" Integrating into one Program does not reduce policies, but overcomes overlaps and duplications and helps focus more on ethnic minority and mountainous areas in the coming time with some aspects ," said the Minister.

Firstly, the current core poor areas are mainly the areas where ethnic minorities live. The previous poverty reduction program was implemented nationwide. Now, this program needs to focus on investing heavily in these areas to help ethnic minorities have a better life and escape poverty sustainably.

Second, the construction of new rural areas in the past time has been carried out nationwide. Currently, the results of new rural construction nationwide have been continuously improved. The remaining areas need to be focused on investment, especially in ethnic minority and disadvantaged areas to continue improving people's lives.

Third, the three integrated programs will focus on increasing investment resources for disadvantaged areas, ethnic minority and mountainous areas until 2035; instead of the National Target Program on Socio-Economic Development for Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas, which will only be implemented until 2030.

Fourth, improve implementation efficiency, quickly put support policies into practice, ensuring people benefit promptly and substantially.

According to the Minister of Agriculture and Environment, the Program's content includes two components.

The first component includes general contents implemented nationwide, which are general contents aimed at building new rural areas, sustainable poverty reduction, and socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas. Of which, there are 10 groups of contents implemented nationwide, with priority given to ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

The second component is the specific contents of socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, including 5 groups of contents. These are specific policies, with additional investment for ethnic minority and mountainous areas and subjects related to ethnic minorities and mountainous areas.

Chairman of the National Assembly's Council of Nationalities Lam Van Man.

Presenting his review opinion on this content, Chairman of the National Assembly's Ethnic Council Lam Van Man stated that the Standing Committee of the National Assembly Ethnic Council and the majority of opinions agreed on the necessity of merging the three National Target Programs to overcome the situation of resource dispersion, policy overlap, many management agencies, many guiding documents and a number of existing problems and limitations that have been assessed and summarized in the 2021-2025 period.

Regarding capital to implement the Program, the appraisal agency basically agrees with the Government's proposal on total capital, phasing and capital structure.

" In particular, in phase I (2026-2030), the central budget will initially allocate 100,000 billion VND for the Program to have a basis for deciding on investment policies. Then, based on the implementation situation, the Government will continue to balance and submit to competent authorities to supplement sufficient central budget capital according to demand to have enough resources to carry out assigned goals and tasks ," said Mr. Lam Van Man.

Concluding the discussion, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Vu Hong Thanh stated that the National Assembly Standing Committee agreed on the policy of integrating the three Programs into a common Program for the 2026-2035 period.

The National Assembly Standing Committee agreed to submit to the National Assembly for consideration and decision on the investment policy of the National Target Program on new rural areas, sustainable poverty reduction and socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas until 2035.

" The Government is requested to direct research, fully absorb and explain the opinions of the National Assembly Standing Committee, the opinions of the agency in charge of the review, the agencies participating in the review and urgently review and complete the Submission, draft Resolution and related documents to submit to the National Assembly at the 10th Session ," said Mr. Vu Hong Thanh.

In particular, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Vu Hong Thanh suggested focusing on continuing to review and innovate solutions and methods, ensuring clarity and no overlap between components and task groups, carefully reviewing objects and locations, not omitting objects, and not duplicating investments within the Program itself.

According to Mr. Vu Hong Thanh, it is necessary to review the method of determining the subjects to ensure clarity, focus, prioritize resources, and increase the capital allocation rate for poor communes, especially disadvantaged communes, ethnic minority and mountainous areas. General and specific targets need to be quantified, ensuring feasibility and appropriateness to the resources and context of the 2026-2030 period, avoiding setting targets that are too broad, making it difficult to evaluate results.

For disadvantaged localities, ethnic minority and mountainous areas, it is necessary to stipulate appropriate matching rates; clarify the mechanism for allocating and disbursing funds, and monitor resources to ensure investment efficiency, focus, and prevent loss and waste.

" The Central Government should only regulate the framework for assigning targets, while specific and detailed activities should be left to localities to choose and decide on investment. Avoid making decisions that are too detailed and not suitable to reality ," Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Vu Hong Thanh noted.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/hop-nhat-3-chuong-trinh-mtqg-de-uu-tien-nguon-luc-cho-dong-bao-dan-toc-thieu-so-5066946.html