The people work together to build a green, clean, and beautiful village.

Thanks to the intensified implementation of ethnic policies, with a focus on the National Target Program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, in recent years, the rural landscape and the lives of ethnic minority people in Son La have undergone many positive changes.

Visiting the highland communes and villages of Son La province today, it is easy to see the positive changes in the appearance of the mountainous rural areas. This result has been achieved thanks to the attention and investment of the Party and the State through the National Target Program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas (National Target Program 1719).

Many essential infrastructure projects such as roads, cultural centers, schools, and health stations have been and are being invested in, built, and upgraded, contributing to improving the living, learning, and production conditions of the people. Roads that were previously unpaved and difficult to travel on, especially during the rainy season, have now been concreted, making travel easier and facilitating the faster distribution of agricultural products.

In Bo Mon village, Chieng Hac commune (Yen Chau district), the 3-kilometer road from Provincial Road 13 to the village was previously just a dirt road, causing many difficulties in transporting agricultural products. Thanks to 7.6 billion VND from the National Target Program 1719, the road has been paved with concrete, creating favorable conditions for the local people to develop their economy.

Mr. Mua A Chinh, a resident of Bo Mon village, shared: "The village has 142 households with over 700 people, all of whom are Mong ethnic people. Since the concrete road was built, travel has become easier, and cars can now come right into the village to buy agricultural products, helping people save on transportation costs and giving them more opportunities to increase their income."

The National Target Program 1719 for the period 2021-2025 in Son La is showing positive results, making an important contribution to the overall socio-economic development of the province, especially in communes in areas III and II and particularly disadvantaged villages in ethnic minority areas.

A spacious village cultural center.

The total capital for implementing the Program in Son La during the 2021-2025 period is 5,487,925 million VND. Of this, the allocated capital is 4,920,858 million VND.

According to Ms. Trang Thi Xuan, Standing Vice Chairman of the Son La Provincial People's Committee, the National Target Program 1719 has made a significant contribution to the implementation of the province's socio-economic development plan. The program's resources and policies have been focused on investing in the development of essential infrastructure projects such as roads, irrigation systems, clean water supply, markets, health stations, education facilities, and cultural centers. At the same time, the program also supports vocational training, production development, and livelihoods, contributing to increased income for the people.

Ms. Xuan emphasized that the material and spiritual lives of ethnic minority people have improved, and healthcare and education have seen positive changes. These results show that the National Target Program 1719 is a powerful driving force, bringing a new look and a better life to ethnic minority people in Son La.

To further enhance the effectiveness of the program, Son La province has determined that it will strengthen decentralization and empower local authorities and people to increase proactiveness and flexibility in implementation. At the same time, the province will diversify investment resources, effectively integrate programs and projects, and prioritize support for particularly disadvantaged communes and villages, as well as areas lacking essential infrastructure.

Regular cleaning of village roads and alleys.

In particular, Son La province will promote and effectively implement the motto "The people know, the people discuss, the people do, the people inspect, the people supervise, and the people benefit," and "The State and the people work together" in implementing specific projects and models.

Support policies from the National Target Program 1719 have created momentum and acted as a "lever" for socio-economic development in ethnic minority areas, contributing to helping Son La province achieve its 2025 goal of reducing the poverty and near-poverty rate by 3-4% in particularly difficult communes, gradually narrowing the development gap between mountainous and more developed regions.