Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has approved the National Target Programme on Sustainable Poverty Reduction for 2016-2020, which aims to cut the national poverty rate by 1-1.5 per cent each year based on multi-dimensional poverty criteria. — Photo cand.com.vn

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has approved the National Target Programme on Sustainable Poverty Reduction for 2016-2020, which aims to cut the national poverty rate by 1-1.5 per cent each year based on multi-dimensional poverty criteria. 
In addition, efforts will be made to reduce the poverty rate among ethnic minority households by 3-4 per cent each year. 
The programme will also try to improve livelihoods in order to increase per capita income of people living under the poverty line by 1.5 times compared to the level at the end of 2015. 
According to the plan, the number of districts classified as extremely poor under a Government Resolution from 2008 will be slashed in half by 2020, while the number of extremely poor communes and villages should decrease by 20-30 per cent. 
Towards this goal, investment will be poured into socio-economic infrastructure in poor areas, thus improving living conditions and access to jobs.
Accordingly, between 80-90 per cent of communes nationwide would have concrete roads accessible by cars, 60-70 per cent would meet national standards on healthcare and 100 per cent must have schools from kindergarten to high school levels to meet local children’s study needs. About three-quarters of households nationwide would have access to hygienic water for daily use. 
The programme will provide vocational training and job orientation education for 20,000 workers from poor or ethnic minority backgrounds. 
The programme is expected to cost nearly VNĐ48.4 trillion (about US$2.1 billion), to be sourced from State and local budgets, the private sector, donations from both domestic and international individuals and organisations, and contributions from beneficiary communities. 
According to reports at a meeting of the Central Steering Committee for Sustainable Poverty Reduction in Hà Nội in mid-July, the rate of poor and near-poor households stands at 15.1 per cent. — VNS