Deputy Nguyen Tien Sinh from Hoa Binh province (Source: baomoi.com) Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development hasbeen asked to clarify policies on compensation and support for resettlementwhen building irrigational and hydropower works; dam and reservoir safety; andmeasures to stabilise ethnic minorities’ lives in the northern mountainousregion.
Speaking at aquestion and answer session during the 26th meeting of the 14th NationalAssembly Standing Committee on August 13, Deputy Nguyen Tien Sinh from Hoa Binhprovince said policies to compensate and support resettlement after reclaimingland and building irrigational and hydropower works have been carried out foryears.
However, peopleliving in resettlement areas still face many difficulties, especially a lack ofland for housing and production and alternative means of livelihood, and dilapidatedinfrastructure.
Sinh asked theministry to detail solutions after resettlement-related policies are implementedand investors’ responsibility for this problem.
In addition, herequested the ministry carry out measures to stabilise the lives of locals inthe mountainous areas after downpours and floods.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam (Source: baomoi.com) In reply, DeputyMinister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam said that Vietnamhas 193 irrigational and hydropower projects which have forced or will force about84,000 households with more than 353,000 people to resettle. To date, more than76,000 households have received help to move and live in other places.
The ministryadvised the government to approve a decision on stabilising production for28,800 resettled households and more than 24,500 affected households in thethree northern provinces of Son La, Dien Bien and Lai Chau which will be implementedfrom 2018-2025, with total investment of more than 6.94 trillion VND (306million USD).
Prime Minister NguyenXuan Phuc had already approved a directive on ensuring safety for dams and reservoirsand allocating money for localities to upgrade dams and reservoirs, Nam stated.
Under the decree,the Government leader also assigned the Ministries of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment, and Industry and Trade to assess dam and reservoir safety, headded.
In terms of flashfloods in northern provinces, the deputy minister said his ministry had sentdelegations to areas prone to flash floods and carried out solutions.
For nearly 6,000households who have no homes and are living in tents, the Government willallocate 883 billion VND (39 million USD) to affected provinces later thismonth, he added.-VNA
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