VietNamNet Bridge – The second phase of a national programme to build 176 floodproof residential clusters in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta is behind schedule due to higher costs of materials, labour and slow allocation of capital from the Government.

Higher rates for land compensation are also causing a slowdown, according to the Ministry of Construction.

The second phase, which begun in 2008 and is scheduled to be completed by the end of next year, covers Tien Giang, An Giang, Kien Giang, Dong Thap, Vinh Long and Hau Giang provinces and the city of Can Tho.

The residential clusters will house more than 57,000 families who now live in flood-prone areas.

Construction on 15 flood-proof residential clusters have not been begun, and house foundations and embankments have been completed on only 130 flood-proof residential clusters.

Only 50 to 72 per cent of the construction on infrastructure such as roads, power and water supply facilities have been completed on flood-proof residential clusters.

During a meeting last week in Dong Thap Province, provincial officials asked the Construction Ministry to encourage the Government to allocate approved capital for localities and increase the capital for infrastructure.

They also asked the Government to help provide soft loans to build rubbish dumps and embankments in flood-proof residential clusters, and create new policies to help resettled residents find jobs.

More than 7,600 families have been moved to live in floodproof residential clusters in the second phase.

At the meeting, the Construction Ministry told local authorities to complete the house foundations and embankments of the remaining 46 flood-proof residential clusters, as well as finish infrastructure in all floodproof residential clusters by the end of next year.

In the programme's first phase from 2001 to 2007, a total of 789 flood-proof residential clusters were built.

Local authorities said the biggest problem for resettled families was the lack of jobs.

Pham Vu Hong, deputy chairman of Kien Giang Province's People's Committee said: "Most of them are poor and have low education so it is difficult to provide vocational skills for them."

In An Giang Province, 11 per cent of families in floodproof clusters, or 3,500 families, are poor households, according to the province's steering committee for the flood-proof residential cluster programme.

The province has provided vocational training for families in flood-proof clusters, but few residents have found jobs.

Dinh Xuan Hoang, deputy director of Dong Thap Province's Department of Construction, said the province had organised 225 vocational courses on knitting, sewing, embroidering, motorbike repair and other occupations for 8,300 people in flood-proof clusters.

However, he said long-term projects must be organised to improve people's livelihoods.

Local authorities in several provinces have petitioned the Government to extend bank loan terms for people who buy houses in floodproof residential clusters, and to offer loans to help them start businesses.

Nguyen Tran Nam, deputy minister of construction, said that during his survey trips, he found that most people living in floodproof residential clusters did not have land for business or farming. But some people had jobs and were doing well.

Nam agreed that the extension of bank loan terms was a good idea, but he noted that it must be implemented correctly according to each borrower's ability.

VietNamNet/VNS