Bac Kan is a mountainous province with many ethnic minorities living. To achieve the set goals in implementing ethnic policies, Bac Kan province has synchronously deployed many support policies for ethnic minorities such as credit policies, vocational training, and labor export. , health policy; education; Support for electricity, housing, legal aid, culture and information...

In 2022, ethnic work, ethnic policies, especially social security work in ethnic minority areas will always receive timely attention, leadership, and direction from the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, and People's Committee. province, coordination of all levels and sectors in the process of organizing and implementing ethnic policies and poverty reduction. Investment programs and policies in ethnic minority and mountainous areas have been effective, ensuring openness, transparency, right purpose, and right target audience; gradually change the appearance of ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

Up to now, the whole province has had 100% of communes have motorable roads to the center; 97.3% of households have access to national grid electricity; 98.5% of rural households have access to hygienic water; 100% of communes have mobile phone coverage; The rate of communes meeting the national health criteria is 95.4%; The proportion of the population participating in health insurance is over 96.3%...

Thom Ung village has changed after having access to power grids

Thom Ung village, My Thanh commune, Bach Thong district is like an oasis, isolated from the outside. Surrounding the village are overlapping mountain ranges. The village is less than 10km from the center of My Thanh commune, but due to the rugged terrain and difficult travel, traveling here is very difficult.

From the Commune People's Committee, we started moving into the village around 7 am. Two durable field motorbikes took us over 4 steep, slippery, zigzag slopes.

Even though he had a lot of experience traveling in mountainous areas, Mr. Thanh, the person who led us in, still couldn't help but feel worried. At this time, the road to the village is being renewed by the authorities, so it is even more difficult to travel. There were many rough and rocky sections where we both walked and pushed the car over steep slopes with a cliff on one side and a rocky mountain on the other.

Where we passed, there was no one around, only our own voice echoed. Occasionally we meet groups of workers digging soil and building drainage ditches. After nearly half a day of climbing passes and climbing slopes, the group finally reached the village.

Thom Ung appears beautifully with the traditional stilt houses of the Dao and Nung ethnic groups nestled in the heart of the mountain, the kitchen smoke is like a soft silk strip fluttering in the wind. Currently, the village has 30 households. Based on the multidimensional poverty criteria for the period 2021 - 2025, the village still has 27 poor households.

Mr. Trieu Van Huu, head of Thom Ung village, recalled, "Nearly 10 years ago, Thom Ung had no infrastructure, most of the people's activities took place during the day because there was no electricity. Clean water and irrigation for farming depend on nature.

Any family with a little money can buy a mini water generator with a small capacity, enough to light a small light bulb for dinner. Modern household appliances such as televisions, rice cookers, and fans are almost non-existent. In particular, the village has no phone signal. It can be said that the village is completely isolated from the outside. On days of heavy rain and flooding, the government must send a delegation to provide food and monitor the situation..."

According to Mr. Huu, due to the harsh climate here, with many frosts in winter, one rice crop can only be grown a year. Other types of plants are difficult to grow, leading to economic instability. Besides, there is no traffic, no electricity, and no running water, leading to a shortage of education and healthcare. Many children in the village have to drop out of school midway...

Ms. Nguyen Thi Loan, Thom Ung Village Women's Association, added that in the past, there was no electricity, so preserving food was very difficult. In the summer, it only breaks from morning to afternoon. The village must take turns going to the market every day, one person goes to buy for the whole village.

In 2016, the local government, with the support of the province and other agencies, started work on bringing electricity to the village. In 2021, the whole village will officially connect to the national grid.

Now, Thom Ung has transformed dramatically, the "mysterious" night has been lit up thanks to high-pressure lights and electric lights. For dinners, there is a rice cooker with the smell of new rice. At night, families gather around the TV to watch news and entertainment... Somewhere, there is a family that has bought a refrigerator to help preserve food freshness all week. tasty.

The biggest change since the arrival of electricity is probably the wifi network that has covered every house. The work of reducing information poverty is increasingly strong. Although there is no phone signal because the infrastructure is not yet adequate, with the wifi network, families have the opportunity to learn, improve their intellectual level, and learn about many State policies on poverty reduction and economic development.

Some economic development models such as plantingCinnamon and tea growing were tested by people. Hopefully in the coming time the tree will grow well, opening up new directions in economic development for local people.

Through the Internet and loudspeakers, people have learned to care about their health. Women giving birth have gone to the hospital for examination, pregnancy monitoring and giving birth at the hospital... In the past few years, no one in the village has had a third child, the people have always been united and close.

Regarding education issues, Mr. Huu informed that the village has a preschool with about 20 children, aged from 3 to 5 years old; Children from grades 1 to 9 have to go to boarding school at My Thanh Commune Primary and Secondary School. In high school, you rent a room and study in the province. When the children go to boarding school, they will have a grandmother to support them. Since having access to information, newspapers and radio, people know the importance of education for children, so even though there are still many shortages, families are determined not to let their children be out of school. The rate of children in the village going to school is 100%.

Invest in essential infrastructure facilities

Investment in essential infrastructure is one of the important contents in implementing the National Target Program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in the period 2021 - 2030. This content is being discussed. Bac Kan province focuses on directing and implementing to ensure progress and achieve high efficiency.

The road connecting Ban Chan - Thom Ung village, My Thanh commune, Bach Thong district has previously been difficult to travel with, steep and slippery. Many people have fallen while traveling on this route. That is a big obstacle for the people of Thom Ung village, this extremely difficult village. With capital from the National Target Program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas and balancing the 2022 budget, Bach Thong district has implemented the construction of the Ban Chan - Thom inter-village road. Ung, My Thanh commune with a length of 3 km.

Bo Pia - one of two disadvantaged villages in Quang Bach commune, Cho Don district, where most of the Dao people live. The village currently has 57 households, half of which live across the stream. Previously, people had to go through the red, muddy dirt trail during the rainy season.

In 2022, the village will be supported with more than 200 million VND from the capital of the National Target Program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas to concretize internal village roads. With the participation of the local government and the cooperation of people in the village, the 300 m long inner-village road was soon completed, meeting the travel and production needs of the people.

In 2022, the entire Bac Kan province will invest and build 249 essential infrastructure projects. Including 114 rural traffic projects, 2 power supply projects, 71 commune radio relay station projects, community house, 4 classroom projects, 43 irrigation projects, 8 other projects, 7 inter-commune road projects and maintenance of 91 projects in extremely difficult communes and villages, with a total allocated capital of 150,823 million VND. Currently, localities are continuing to implement the project to soon complete the schedule and put it into use.

From organizing and implementing ethnic policies combined with investment resources from the National Target Program for socio-economic development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas in the period 2021 - 2025, contributing to significantly improving infrastructure, socio-economics and people's lives in ethnic minority areas of the province. The poverty rate has decreased significantly, people's living conditions, goods exchange, health care needs, spiritual culture, and transportation are better...

Achieving those results, the province has taken advantage of all supporting resources combined with promoting local strengths and effectively organizing the implementation of programs and policies, focusing on solving urgent needs. of the people, building essential infrastructure to serve the people for socio-economic development in communes and villages with special difficulties.

Creating sustainable jobs - a driving force to promote social security

Implementing the National Poverty Reduction Program, on March 3, 2023, the People's Committee of Bac Kan province issued Plan 139 to implement sustainable poverty reduction in the period 2021 - 2025, including the content "Supporting sustainable employment sustainable" in Bac Kan province.

In 2023, the province sets a goal of reducing the average poverty rate from 2% - 2.5%/year according to the poverty standard for the period 2021 - 2025 (reducing the poverty rate to 22.22% by the end of 2023). , the number of poor households by the end of 2023 will be 18,235 households, a decrease of 2,046 households).

Specifically, the province strives to solve the employment gap. The goal is to create jobs for 100% of workers from poor households, near-poor households, and households newly escaping poverty who need advice, career orientation, labor market information, and job search support. . At least 500 workers from poor and marginal householdspoor, newly escaped poverty households are supported to successfully connect with jobs.

To reduce poverty, the province implemented 7 projects with a total capital plan of over 236 billion VND, of which project 4 is to develop vocational education and sustainable employment.

People are at the center of national policies

In order for the implementation of ethnic programs and policies in 2023 to achieve high results, based on assigned functions and tasks, the Provincial Ethnic Committee focuses on advising the province in direction and timely implementation. , effectiveness of directives, resolutions, conclusions and guiding and administrative documents of the Prime Minister related to ethnic affairs.

Bac Kan Provincial Ethnic Committee implements many ethnic policies with a people-centered perspective.
In particular, the focus is on implementing Conclusion No. 65-KL/TW dated October 30, 2019 of the Politburo on continuing to implement Resolution No. 24-NQ/TW of the IX Party Central Committee on public works. ethnic cooperation in the new situation; Resolution No. 88/2019/QH14 dated November 18, 2019 of the National Assembly approving the overall project for socio-economic development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas in the period 2021 - 2030; Directive No. 06-CT/TU dated March 29, 2021 of the Provincial Party Standing Committee on strengthening the Party's leadership over ethnic work in the new situation in the period 2021 - 2030; National target program for ethnic minorities and mountainous areas and ethnic programs and policies in the province.

Coordinate to carry out propaganda work well to raise awareness of all levels, sectors and people about ethnic work, especially implementing democracy at the grassroots, ensuring correct and effective implementation of the motto " People know, people discuss, people do, people check, people supervise, people enjoy.

Advise and direct better implementation of the National Target Program for Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas, promptly remove difficulties in implementation to speed up the program's implementation progress. Actively guide localities to ensure timely and effective implementation.

Organize and perform well the inspection, supervision, evaluation and statistical work and periodic reporting according to regulations. Carry out the work of understanding the area well, regularly inspect, supervise and evaluate the implementation work to promptly remove difficulties and obstacles; At the same time, detect and promptly prevent negative and wasteful manifestations. Continue to advise and strengthen the entire ethnic affairs apparatus from the province to the grassroots to meet assigned requirements and tasks.

Quynh Nga