VietNamNet Bridge – Many billions of dong are expected to be spent by the Government during Tet (the Lunar New Year holiday) to stabilise prices and offer gifts to disadvantaged people and war heroes.

Ha Noi's Birla Village for orphans teach children to wrap Chung cakes, a traditional Tet dish.

More than VND393 billion (US$18.7 million) will be given to people and organisations who played a key role in the country's revolution.

Heroic Vietnamese mothers, volunteers and war invalids and dioxin victims will each be given between $ 9-19 as Tet gifts.

Le Van Noi, an war invalid in northern Nam Dinh Province said this amount of money will not make much difference to many other people during the holiday. However, with this gift, his family can afford to buy meat and rice to make Chung cakes, which was just a dream for them last Tet.

He added that the gift will also encourage people to work harder in their daily life to escape poverty.

Coupled with State financial assistance, localities nationwide are also making their efforts to stabilise prices and assist disadvantaged people in time for Tet.

The Trade Union of industrial and processing parks in HCM City is giving 6,000 bus tickets to people hailing from the northern and central regions. The union will also visit and present gifts to thousands of people who recently lost their jobs and those who are in hospital. Companies in Industrial Zones have promised to provide gifts for 15,000 workers worth over VND3.1 billion ($150,000) and organise New Year Eve parties at a cost of VND2.7 billion ($128,570).

Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, deputy secretary of HCM City's Party Committee said: "To ensure workers' rights are safeguarded, relevant authorities must assess companies to see if they will be able to pay salaries and bonuses for Tet, and draft plans to support workers if needed."

The Red Cross will give gifts worth VND10 billion ($480,000) to 25,000 poor people, Agent Orange victims, victims of natural disasters and Vietnamese citizens living in Cambodia.

The City's Students Support Centre will help disadvantaged students to the tune of VND2.5 billion ($120,000), including bus tickets to the value of VND1 billion.

Nguyen Dong Hung, a student from a remote rural area in central Nghe An Province said he had tried his best to be a good student and get the chance to obtain a ticket home for the holiday.

"Spending millions of dong for transportation is a luxury so I have been far away from home for the last two Lunar New year holidays."

Mobile sales teams will take essential goods to dormitories and industrial and processing parks as part of the city's price stabilisation programme to benefit workers and students.

Meanwhile, Da Nang City has given 2,000 free coach tickets, worth VND400 million ($19,000) to poor students allowing them to return home to central provinces and the Central Highlands during the holiday. Some 3,000 Chung cakes will be granted to cleaners and disadvantaged people in the city and gifts worth a total of VND70 million ($3,300) will be presented to 300 poor students in Hai Chau District. The city also plans to hold art performances and health check-ups for workers in industrial zones and children in social centres.

Hai Phong City has given VND10 billion ($476,000) to enterprises in order to stabilise food prices for necessities such as rice, meat and poultry.

Southern provinces such as Binh Thuan and Ca Mau have also given financial assistance or favourable interest rates to enterprises storing food for the Tet market.

Source: VNS