Removing housing difficulties for ethnic minorities

Tanh Linh is the pioneer district of the province in implementing Project 1 on building houses for ethnic minorities under the National Target Program on socio -economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas for the period 2021 - 2030. However, the current difficulty is that the funding for housing construction has not been disbursed while the construction progress has reached 80%, leaving many families in a "dilemma".

Houses "waiting for capital"

We came to Duc Binh commune, Tanh Linh district in early August 2023. The story of housing for ethnic minorities in the district is receiving the attention of many people, especially the households that benefit.

Mang Thang's family has only built a new house foundation.

The current makeshift house of Mr. Thang and his wife.

Duc Binh is a mountainous commune with 4 villages, of which 1 village is purely ethnic minority, the main source of income of the people is from agricultural production. In recent years, the local socio-economic situation has had many positive changes, focusing on investment and development in ethnic minority areas. However, according to the People's Committee of Tanh Linh district, due to the characteristics of Duc Binh commune, there is 1 ethnic minority village, so the poverty rate is still high and the educational level of the people is still low. The total number of poor households at the beginning of 2023 is 133 households/442 people, accounting for 6.77%, of which, ethnic minorities have 95 households/343 people, accounting for 4.8%.

The house under construction of Mr. Tran Van Trinh's family.

At the household of Mr. Mang Thang, Hamlet 7, Duc Binh Commune, one of the eight ethnic minority groups in the commune who are poor and benefit from the housing construction policy from the National Target Program. The makeshift house with a thatched roof and leaf walls has been where his family has lived for more than 10 years. When they heard that they would receive 40 million VND in support, the couple was very happy and immediately borrowed more from their relatives and the Policy Bank to build the house. However, when they had just built the foundation (prepaid 20 million VND to the workers), the funds ran out because the support capital had not been received. Therefore, more than 3 months have passed, but the family's dream house is still not completed. Both the couple and their 3 children still have to live in an open-air hut during the rainy season. Mr. Thang expressed his wish: "I hope the State will soon support funding so that we can continue to complete the house this year, helping the family have a stable place to live during the rainy season, feel secure in working and producing, and for the children to study in good conditions."

Sharing the same situation as Mr. Thang, Mr. Tran Van Trinh's family in village 4, Duc Binh commune is also facing similar difficulties. He and his wife are living in a dilapidated, dilapidated house that is at risk of collapsing at any time. Therefore, when hearing the news of receiving 40 million VND in support from the government's policy, Mr. Trinh's family was very excited, immediately borrowed money from acquaintances, and advanced it to quickly build a new house. Looking at the new house that is about 70% built, he is both happy and worried: "I hope the government will soon provide funds so I can pay the workers and complete the house..."

Production and livestock farming of ethnic minorities in Duc Binh commune.

Timely removal of difficulties

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha - Deputy Head of the Ethnic Minority Department of Tanh Linh district shared: “The whole district of Tanh Linh has 74 poor ethnic minority households supported to build houses with a support level of 40 million VND/house. The district authorities have deployed to the subjects and the families have started building houses since May 2023. Most of the houses have basically completed 80% but up to now, the capital has not been allocated to the locality. According to the process, when the foundation and ground are completed, about 70% of the cost must be provided to the people, but up to now, the people have not received the support money.

According to the explanation of the Provincial State Treasury, this is a source of capital poured in by the Central Government from the public investment capital of the National Target Program, which requires a project code and an estimate to be entered on TABMIS to be disbursed, but currently there is no guidance from the competent authority. The district and province have sent a document to the State Treasury to remove difficulties for the people. This year, the flood in Tanh Linh has been complicated, the recent flood caused many houses to be deeply submerged, while many households have no place to take shelter because the new houses are not completed, the old houses are dilapidated or have been dismantled, causing more difficulties for the people.

A corner of village 4, Duc Binh commune.

In fact, in recent times, ethnic programs and policies have been effectively and synchronously implemented in the province in general and Tanh Linh district in particular. Thereby contributing to gradually stabilizing and improving the material and spiritual life of ethnic minorities, especially in remote, isolated and extremely disadvantaged areas. The implementation of national target programs will be a strong push to promote people's lives. In order to continue investing in promoting the development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas, the Provincial People's Committee has issued a Plan to implement the National Target Program on socio-economic development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas for the period 2021 - 2030, phase I from 2021 - 2025. This program aims to maximize internal resources, turn advantages and potentials into important resources for localities and ethnic minorities to be self-reliant, develop and integrate; improve the material and spiritual life of the people. The goal is to gradually narrow the gap in living standards and income of ethnic minorities compared to the national average. The total budget for implementing the Program for the 2021-2025 period is more than 852 billion VND, implemented from 2021 to the end of 2025, with 10 component projects. Of those 10 projects, Tanh Linh is the pioneer district in implementing the goal of supporting housing construction in the National Target Program for socio-economic development of ethnic minorities and mountainous areas.

Housing is one of the three most basic, essential and core needs of each person, especially poor households. Therefore, solving housing difficulties for ethnic minorities in the province in general and Tanh Linh in particular is an urgent task. Thereby, contributing greatly to improving the material and spiritual life, "settling down and working" for the people, especially poor households in rural areas, areas affected by natural disasters, storms, floods, especially poor households in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

Source: https://baobinhthuan.com.vn/tanh-linh-thao-go-kho-khan-ve-nha-o-cho-dong-bao-dan-toc-thieu-so-111663.html