Lao Cai: People with revolutionary contributions actively respond to cashless social security payments

This contributes to the effective implementation of the digital transformation program of Lao Cai province and Directive No. 21 dated November 25, 2022, of the Prime Minister on promoting digital transformation in cashless social security payments.

According to statistics, Lao Cai currently has over 2,800 people who rendered meritorious services to the revolution and their relatives. Of these, over 2,400 people who rendered meritorious services and their relatives are receiving monthly allowances and have personal accounts at commercial banks (accounting for over 84%).

Following the directives from the central and provincial authorities on promoting digital transformation in cashless social security payments in Lao Cai province, the province has recently issued numerous documents and plans directing relevant departments, agencies, localities, and units to strengthen the dissemination of information about the benefits of receiving cashless benefits and the procedures for opening accounts.

The Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs and the Post Office of Lao Cai City signed a contract to provide cashless payment services for social assistance policies.

According to Nguyen Van Son, Deputy Director of the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs (LĐ-TBXH) of the province: Identifying the implementation of cashless social security benefit payments for people with meritorious service to the revolution and social welfare beneficiaries as one of the key tasks with the goal of providing the best convenience for the people; from 2023 to the present, the Department of LĐ-TBXH of the province has advised the Provincial People's Committee to issue plans for implementing cashless benefit payments to people with meritorious service and their relatives to the People's Committees of districts, towns, and cities; directed the district-level LĐ-TBXH Departments to coordinate with local authorities to collect and update information on accounts supporting cashless payments to beneficiaries of social security policies; promoted awareness among people with meritorious service and their relatives about the benefits of receiving cashless benefits; and closely coordinated with commercial banks in the province to promote cashless payments through bank accounts.

Since April 2023, Bac Ha has been the first locality in the province to pilot the cashless payment of monthly allowances to war veterans and their relatives. According to Le Van Khiem, Head of the Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Department of Bac Ha district, to promote digital transformation in social security payments, the Department advised the District People's Committee to issue a document guiding cashless payments to war veterans and their relatives receiving monthly allowances. Simultaneously, they coordinated with the People's Committees of communes and towns to organize propaganda and mobilization efforts to encourage war veterans to register for cashless payment of support funds via personal accounts or authorized personal accounts. The Agricultural Bank of Vietnam ( Agribank ) Bac Ha branch also actively cooperated with the People's Committees of communes and towns and the District Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Department to support the opening of accounts for war veterans and their relatives in the district to facilitate cashless allowance payments. As of July 2023, all 109 people with meritorious service in Bac Ha district have bank accounts.

Mr. Pham Trung Viet, from Lao Cai ward, Lao Cai city, shared: "I am over 68 years old this year and a war invalid with an 81% disability rating. Previously, I had to go to the post office to receive my monthly allowance, but due to health issues, I almost always had to rely on my children and grandchildren to take me, which was very inconvenient. In 2024, with guidance from officials of the City's Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, I registered to open a bank account to receive my allowance. I find it very convenient and time-saving."

Not only Mr. Pham Trung Viet, but in recent times, many individuals who have rendered meritorious services to the revolution and those receiving social welfare benefits in the province have been receiving monthly allowances through bank accounts. Statistics show that by July 2024, in Lao Cai province, allowance payments to meritorious individuals and their relatives had been made through bank accounts for 83.45% of all 9 districts, towns, and cities (from 2023 to the present, payments have been made to 25,346 people, totaling over 66.8 billion VND). The monthly allowances for meritorious individuals and their relatives are mainly disbursed by the Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Departments of the districts, towns, and cities through the Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Agribank), the Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade (Vietinbank), and some other banks.

By participating in the payment of social security benefits through bank accounts, eligible citizens will be guaranteed to receive their full benefits. The payment process will be quick, safe, secure, and save recipients travel costs. At the same time, cashless social security benefit payments will help organizations and units settle accounts, reduce costs, minimize risks in cash transportation, and increase transparency in payment management.

The head of the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs of Bac Ha district shared with the people the benefits of receiving money via ATM card.

To further promote the maximum rate of cashless social security benefit payments, in the coming period, the agencies and departments of Lao Cai province will continue to urge and encourage war veterans, their relatives, and social welfare beneficiaries to open personal or authorized accounts to receive monthly benefits. Cashless payments will continue to be implemented for beneficiaries of war veterans' and social welfare benefits who already have accounts at banks in the province. Local authorities will continue to disseminate information and collect and update account details of beneficiaries to facilitate cashless social security payments.

Local bank branches should facilitate the opening of accounts for recipients of monthly social security benefits, and offer additional incentives to encourage social security beneficiaries to open personal accounts (such as waiving account maintenance fees and other service fees when using bank cards...). Investment should also be made in installing more ATMs in disadvantaged areas and remote regions to make it more convenient for people to use them.

With the strong involvement of agencies, units, and commercial banks in the province, the cashless payment of social insurance benefits will certainly make new strides, ensuring that 100% of war veterans and their relatives receive their benefits cashless; creating convenience and ease for war veterans and their relatives; and at the same time, ensuring monetary security and safety for the payment units.

laocai.gov.vn

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/lao-cai-nguoi-co-cong-voi-cach-mang-tich-cuc-huong-ung-thuc-hien-chi-tra-an-sinh-xa-hoi-khong-dung-tien-mat-post387424.html