Bac Yen: Implementing National Target Program 1719

Bac Yen is a mountainous and disadvantaged district of Son La province. The district has 7 ethnic groups living together, mainly ethnic minorities, with a population of more than 70,000 people, of which: nearly 96% of the population are ethnic minorities, Kinh people account for more than 4%. The poverty rate in the district in the period of 2022-2025 is 33.17%. With the special attention of the Party, State, National Assembly, and Government in the field of ethnic work and ethnic policies. In recent times, Bac Yen district has focused on directing the implementation of the National Target Program 1719. Thereby, contributing to gradually changing the face of the countryside, creating motivation to help people create livelihoods, improve their material and spiritual lives and escape poverty sustainably.

Appearance of Bac Yen district (Son La) after 60 years of construction and development. Photo: Nguyen Vinh

To implement the National Target Program 1719 for the period 2022-2025, Bac Yen district (Son La) has established a Steering Committee and issued a Decision on assigning tasks and announcing the assignment of tasks to members of the Steering Committee. The People's Committees of communes and towns have established Commune and Town Management Boards and Village Development Boards according to regulations. During the implementation process, the District Steering Committee, Commune Management Boards and Village Development Boards have advised and directed agencies, departments and branches of the People's Committees of communes and towns to effectively implement the National Target Program 1719 in the district. Based on the guidance documents at all levels, Resolutions and Decisions on capital allocation, the District People's Committee has issued 66 documents to implement the program.

Supporting breeding cows under Program 1719 in Bac Yen district (Son La) to create livelihoods, improve the lives of people in difficult areas, and contribute to hunger eradication and poverty reduction. Photo: M.Lau

From 2022 to present, Bac Yen district (Son La) has been assigned over 280 billion VND to implement the National Target Program 1719. Thereby, Bac Yen district has implemented many synchronous solutions, creative approaches and achieved remarkable results in poverty reduction in the area, such as: supporting the elimination of 36 temporary houses; supporting 452 tanks and cistern for domestic water; supporting job conversion for 472 households; investing in 46 infrastructure works; investing in 07 centralized domestic water works; implementing 03 residential arrangement and stabilization projects for 122 households at risk of landslides, currently putting 01 project into use and welcoming 42 households to live, 02 projects have been basically completed, and are implementing the handover process; organizing 03 literacy classes; Supported 03 traditional art troupes and equipment for 58 village and sub-regional cultural houses; supported forest protection, planned protective forests and production forests for 642 communities and households with an area of ​​over 17,771 hectares; reviewed and considered supporting breeding cows and breeding horses for poor and near-poor households in the area, expected to be given to 1,162 households in 2024; organized propaganda and raised legal awareness for people in the district.

Bac Yen: Initial results from the National Target Program 1719

Speaking to reporters of NTNN/Dan Viet/Trang Trai Viet electronic newspaper, Mr. Nguyen Dang Thuc, Head of the Ethnic Minority Department of Bac Yen district (Son La), said: "The effective implementation of the National Target Program 1719 aims to help improve and enhance the material and spiritual life of ethnic minority people in the district. The effectiveness of the program has also been clearly demonstrated. Up to now, 87.5% of communes have asphalted or concreted roads to the commune center; 67.68% of villages have roads from the commune center to the village center; 73.1% of communes have solidly built schools and classrooms; 86.93% of households have safe electricity; 100% of rural population has access to clean water; 96.1% of ethnic minority population participates in health insurance; on average, the number of poor households will decrease by 4% each year; by the end of 2024, the rate of poor households in the district will decrease. 24.75% left".

The cultural and spiritual life of people in Bac Yen district (Son La) is increasingly improving. Photo: Nguyen Vinh

Thanks to the attention of the Party, State, National Assembly, and Government to the field of ethnic affairs, ethnic policies, and the effective implementation of policies, programs, projects, etc. according to the National Target Program 1719. The appearance of communes and towns in Bac Yen district is increasingly prosperous, bringing positive changes, while ethnic cultural values ​​are preserved and promoted. This not only demonstrates the efforts of the government and people of Bac Yen district, but also affirms the important role of ethnic policies in promoting the comprehensive development of ethnic minority areas.

In the mountainous communes of Bac Yen district (Son La), more and more ethnic minority households have high and stable incomes and have built spacious and impressive houses. Photo: Nguyen Vinh

Mr. Thao A Mua, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Bac Yen district (Son La), said: "The National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas has contributed significantly to improving infrastructure, creating favorable conditions for transportation, production and people's lives. Policies to support the development of agricultural production, education and health care have directly improved the quality of life and reduced the poverty rate in the locality. In particular, the spirit of solidarity and active participation of the community in implementing the program have shown consensus and trust in the Party and State's policies. In the coming time, the district will continue to synchronously implement solutions to ensure that the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas continues to bring practical benefits, comprehensively improving the socio-economic life of ethnic minorities in the district".

Nguyen Vinh