Ninh Binh provides better care for ethnic minority people

Ninh Binh is home to over 30,000 ethnic minority people, 96.7% of them are Muong ethnic minorities. In an attempt to create favourable conditions for ethnic minority groups to promote their advantages and potential to develop, over the past five years, the province has effectively carried out the government's policies and programmes.

Ninh Binh has expedited various programmes, projects and plans, such as the plan to implement the strategy on ethnic affairs in the 2021-2030 period with a vision to 2045; the plan to implement the national target programme for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in the 2021-2030 period; the plan to deploy the commercial development programme in mountainous, remoted  and island areas and islands in Ninh Binh province in the 2021-2025 period; the plan on preserving and promoting music and dances of Muong ethnic people in the 2022-2030 period.

In the reviewed period, the province mobilised over 326 billion VND to implement the National target programme on socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

To date, 100% of concrete roads in the mountainous areas have been built; 100% of households have access to electricity and over 90% of households have access to clean water.

Hundreds of households have been supported to develop household business while ethnic minority people have easier access to the labour market.

Besides, the province has paid due attention to promoting cultural identities; investing into education and health care in combination with mobilising the active participation of ethnic minority communities.

In 2023, the province's per capita income reached 63.96 million VND per year. The per capita income in ethnic minority areas was 60 million VND. The poverty rate inethnic minority areas fell to 2.95%.

In addition to spur economic development in ethnic minority areas, the province has paid special attention to preserving and promoting traditional cultural identities.

Cultural and sport activities have become increasingly vibrant with the establishment and operation of numerous art clubs, such as Sap dancing clubs, gong clubs, and Muong singing clubs. These have created healthy playgrounds for ethnic minority communities and contributed to preserving unique traditional cultural identities.

These outcomes have proved the Party and State's care for ethnic minority people as well as their own efforts. The spiritual and material lives of ethnic minority people have been improved.

These results would lay a foundation for Ninh Binh to continue to mobilise resources to invest and step up support policies, thus contributing to strengthening solidarity and creating momentum for ethnic minority people to develop and build a civilised and prosperous homeland.

Translated by Nguyen Thuy