Soc Trang urged to improve living standards for ethnic minorities

Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh has asked the authorities of Soc Trang to pay more attention to ethnic minority groups, who account for nearly 36% of the province's population, to reduce the poverty rate among ethnic minority groups by 3% per year.

Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh speaks at the meeting (photo: chinhphu)

The Deputy PM made the request while on a working visit to the province on July 17.

He noted that Soc Trang has to deal with many difficulties including a high poverty rate, poor infrastructure, a high rate of ethnic minorities with limited access to education and health services as well as natural disasters, among other burdens.

Therefore, to achieve the rapid and sustainable development goals, Soc Trang should make efforts to reduce the poverty rate among ethnic minority groups by 3% per year through facilitating ethnic minorities to gain access to education and health services and preferential loans to open household businesses, Binh said.

Soc Trang has a high rate of ethnic minority groups with nearly 36% of the total population, of which Khmer ethnic groups account for 30.71%.

The province reported a poverty rate of 15.32% and a near poverty rate of 11.85% in 2016, of which 22.95% are Khmer ethnic people.

Soc Trang authorities proposed the Government and National Assembly consider the promulgation of the law on supporting the development of ethnic minorities to be the legal basis for carrying out policies related to ethnic minority groups.

The province authorities also suggested a policy to support monks who provide free Khmer language courses for children at temples during the summer holidays.

Soc Trang also asked for Government financial support for upgrading infrastructure in boarding schools for ethnic minority children, among other community facilities.

(Source: NDO)