Minister of Agriculture and Environment Trần Đức Thắng on December 3 presented the draft Government proposal to merge three target programmes into a single National Target Programme on new-style rural development, sustainable poverty reduction, and socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The 15th National Assembly examined a Government proposal to merge three target programmes into a single National Target Programme on new-style rural development, sustainable poverty reduction, and socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas for the 2026-2035 period, during its ongoing 10th session in Hà Nội on Wednesday.

Presenting the proposal, Minister of Agriculture and Environment Trần Đức Thắng noted that the programme will be launched nationwide, with priority given to ethnic minority and mountainous regions.

The first phase (2026-2030) is budgeted at a minimum VNĐ1.23 quadrillion (US$47 billion), with roughly VNĐ100 trillion coming directly from the central budget, VNĐ400 trillion from provincial and communal coffers, VNĐ360 trillion to be reallocated from other national target programmes, some VNĐ22.7 trillion in policy credit, and approximately VNĐ348 trillion from private and community sources.

Funding for the 2031–2035 second phase will be calibrated based on first-phase results and submitted separately for parliamentary approval.

In its verification report, the NA Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs backed merging the three existing schemes into one 10-year programme and broadly endorsed its two-component design, while directing the Government to prevent overlap, conduct thorough cross-agency consultations and clearly delineate responsibilities.

Lawmakers urged targeted spending on basic social infrastructure, agricultural and forestry value chains, sci-tech adoption, digital transformation, environmental protection, and intensified support for tiny ethnic groups, remote highland and border villages, and disaster-risk resettlement projects.

They also considered an investment plan for the Vinh–Thanh Thuỷ expressway; a draft resolution on amendments and supplements to certain articles of Resolution 98 on piloting special mechanisms and policies for Hồ Chí Minh City, and another amending certain articles of Resolution 136 on organisation of urban administrations and piloting special mechanisms and policies for the development of Đà Nẵng City. — VNA/VNS