Over 240 million USD disbursed for 19 northern localities: Illustrative photo (Photo: VNA)

The figure was released at a conference reviewing the three-year implementation of the national target programme and putting forward key tasks for the 2023-2025 period, held in Tuyen Quang province on June 26.

After three years of implementation, the programme has made great contributions to the implementation of socio-economic development plans of localities.

Its resources and policies have been focused on investing in the development of essential infrastructure works, and contributed to raising people's incomes, as well as the conservation and promotion of ethnic cultural identity.

By the end of 2023, important targets of the programme are expected to be reached. Up to 99.2% of the communes will have motorways to commune centres that are paved with asphalt or concrete; the average percentage of villages with concrete road will be 91.7%; the average rate of schools and classrooms being built solidly will reach 90.1%; and that of health stations 92.3%. Up to 98.6% of the households will gain access to electricity from the national grid and other suitable power sources; the average rate of workers in vocational training age will reach 54.7%; the average rate of 5-year-old kindergarten students going to school 92.8%; and the average rate of villages with community houses 92%.

At the conference, delegates pointed to difficulties and limitations in the implementation of the programme, including the slow allocation of capital in localities which affects the implementation and disbursement in 2022, especially for large-scale projects.

A representative of Tuyen Quang province proposed the Government Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs consider not assign detailed capital to each project in order to help localities take the initiative in allocating and adjusting capital sources; but pay attention to allocating resources from international cooperation projects to Tuyen Quang to improve investment efficiency of the national target programme.

Minister-Chairman of the Government Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs Hau A Lenh affirmed that the programme is a major policy which is of particularly great significance for comprehensive socio-economic development, ensuring national defence and security, building the Party and the political system, and consolidating and strengthening the great solidarity bloc, and consolidating and maintaining people's trust in the Party and the State.