The National Assembly approved the investment plan for the New Rural Development Program, sustainable poverty reduction, and development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

On the morning of December 11th, under the chairmanship of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and the direction of National Assembly Vice Chairman Vu Hong Thanh, the National Assembly voted to approve the Resolution on the investment policy for the National Target Program on building new rural areas, sustainable poverty reduction and socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas for the period 2026 - 2035.

Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Vu Hong Thanh presides over the session. Photo: Quang Khanh

Narrowing the development gap between regions.

The National Assembly's resolution approves the investment policy for the National Target Program on building new rural areas, sustainable poverty reduction, and socio -economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous regions for the period 2026-2035 with the following overall objectives:

Building modern, prosperous, beautiful, distinctive, and sustainable new rural areas, linked to urbanization and adapting to climate change. Developing comprehensively the ethnic minority and mountainous regions. Implementing multidimensional, inclusive, and sustainable poverty reduction, ensuring gender equality and social security.

Developing the rural economy in a green, circular, and ecological direction, linked with restructuring the agricultural sector, aims to improve income, quality of life, and narrow the development gap between regions, areas, and population groups, especially ethnic minority and mountainous regions, compared to other regions.

The National Assembly voted to approve the Resolution on the investment policy for the National Target Program on New Rural Development, Sustainable Poverty Reduction, and Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas for the period 2026-2035. Photo: Pham Thang

Strengthening national unity, enhancing the trust of ethnic minorities in the Party and the State; preserving and promoting the fine cultural identity of ethnic minority communities. Ensuring national defense, security, and social order and safety, especially in strategic areas, border regions, and islands.

The total state budget allocated to the Program for the period 2026-2030 is approximately 423,000 billion VND, of which 100,000 billion VND comes from the central budget; 300,000 billion VND from local budgets; and 23,000 billion VND from policy credit (state budget source).

During the implementation process, the Government continues to balance central budget funds, including social policy credit funds, to prioritize additional support for the Program in accordance with actual conditions, ensuring sufficient resources to achieve the assigned goals and tasks.

Delegates attending the session. Photo: Quang Khánh

Ensure there is no duplication or overlap in terms of target groups and policies.

In a report summarizing and explaining the opinions of National Assembly deputies and revising the draft Resolution approving the investment policy for the National Target Program on building new rural areas, sustainable poverty reduction, and socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas for the period 2026-2035, Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Duc Thang stated that the Government has incorporated the opinions of the National Assembly Standing Committee, which requested the Government to research and review the criteria and classification of poor communes, and to avoid overlapping with the criteria and classification of particularly disadvantaged communes and villages in ethnic minority and mountainous areas. He also added and clearly stated in the scope of the Program: "prioritizing particularly disadvantaged communes and villages," moving away from further regulations on criteria and classification of poor communes. Simultaneously, the Government has reviewed and removed content related to poor communes; and added "particularly disadvantaged communes and villages" to the scope and beneficiaries of the Program in the draft Resolution.

Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Duc Thang presented the Report on receiving and explaining the opinions of National Assembly deputies and revising the Draft Resolution approving the investment policy for the National Target Program on building new rural areas, sustainable poverty reduction and socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas for the period 2026 - 2035. Photo: Pham Thang

In addition, the Government has incorporated the opinions of the National Assembly Standing Committee. During the process of developing the Feasibility Study Report for the Program, the Government will direct continued review to ensure there is no duplication or overlap in the target groups and policies within the Program; review national target programs (policies on education, health, and culture) to ensure there is no duplication, overlap, or omission of specific target groups of ethnic minorities, ethnic minority areas, and mountainous regions; prioritize and focus on resolving urgent issues related to housing land, production land, and clean water for ethnic minorities according to the objectives stipulated in Resolution 120/2020/QH14 of the National Assembly; and consider and identify the ministries and sectors responsible for each component and content to determine the focal points and responsibilities later on.

Regarding the proposal to clearly define the priority resources for particularly disadvantaged communes and villages in ethnic minority areas during the research, development, and promulgation process of the principles, criteria, and allocation norms for capital allocation, and to regulate appropriate and balanced counterpart funding in relation to the total central government budget allocation, in response to the opinions of the National Assembly Standing Committee, the Government will direct the research, development, and submission to the Prime Minister of the principles, criteria, and allocation norms for central government budget funds and the proportion of counterpart funding from local budgets for the Program in the 2026-2030 period, which will clearly define the priority funding for particularly disadvantaged communes and villages in ethnic minority and mountainous areas. Simultaneously, based on the 2026 state budget estimates, the Prime Minister will specify the appropriate and balanced counterpart funding from local budgets for provinces and cities in relation to the total central government budget allocation.

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/quoc-hoi-phe-duyet-chu-truong-dau-tu-chuong-trinh-xay-dung-nong-thon-moi-giam-ngheo-ben-vung-phat-trien-vung-dong-bao-dan-toc-thieu-so-va-mien-nui-10400055.html