(VOVworld) – Vietnam’s poverty reduction policies have proven effective, said Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs Pham Thi Hai Chuyen in Sunday’s edition of “People ask – Ministers answer”. She said that the Vietnamese Party and State are keen on poverty reduction and have designed a poverty reduction strategy for the 2012-2015 period. The number of poor households has fallen by 2% per year on average as targeted.

Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs Pham Thi Hai Chuyen talks about poverty reduction in a televised program called “People ask – Ministers answer”. (Photo: VGP)

Chuyen told our reporter: "Economic difficulties in recent years have tightened the state budget but funding for poverty reduction has grown. In 2008, 4 billion USD was spent on poverty reduction but between 2011 and 2013 the figure rose to an average of 5.5 billion USD per year. The growing number reflects the determination of the Party and State to quickly reduce the number of poor households and attain the Millennium Development Goals. The World Bank considers Vietnam a highlight in MDG implementation, particularly poverty reduction."

The Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs will devise a policy for the poor to sustainably escape from poverty.