Deputy PM Dam asks for practical realisation of social welfare policy

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has asked for the mobilisation of resources to realise social welfare policies in the most disadvantaged regions, meeting people’s daily needs in all areas of life, such as in living, studying, producing, trading and enjoying cultural and spiritual activities.

Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam speaks at the meeting. (Credit: VGP)

Deputy PM Dam made the statement during a meeting of the Central Steering Committee on Implementing the Government’s Action Plan on Social Welfare in the 2012-2020 period in Hanoi on April 2.

The Government official, also head of the Steering Committee, praised outcomes of the two-year implementation and asked ministries and agencies to continue improving and merging different programmes for effectiveness and reduction of funds being misused, as well as to further support targeted beneficiaries in aiding them to actively become self-reliant.

Social welfare programmes should be implemented in the market principle with capital from social insurance, health care and social welfare funds, Deputy PM Dam said.

According to the Steering Committee’s report, State budget for social welfare programmes accounted for 5.04% of the country’s gross domestic product in 2014. Access to social welfare support of people, particularly ethnic minority groups and people in remote and isolated region, border and islands, was further facilitated.

Statistics of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs by January 12, 2015 show that 95.39% of national contributors have benefited from the policies and 96% of national contributors’ families living standards are on-average.

By the end of 2014, the rate of poor households nationwide was 5.8-6%, a 4% decrease and the rate in disadvantaged districts was 33.2%, an 11% fall compared to the end of 2012.

(Source: VNA - Translated by NDO)