HCM City aims to eliminate poor homes by 2020

The target is part of the city’s sustainable poverty reduction programme for the 2016-2020 period.

The number of poor and near-poor families in the city stands at 67,090 and 48,154, respectively, accounting for 5.77% of total households, said Nguyen Van Lam, deputy director of the city’s Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.

To fulfill the target, the city plans to provide preferential loans worth VND2.94 trillion (US$130.08 million) to poor and near-poor households to open small-scale production facilities or household businesses, Lam said at a conference held in HCM City on January 4.

Last year, nearly 9,800 poor families with income below VND21 million (US$930) per person per year and 9,800 near-poor families with income ranging from more than VND21 million to VND28 million per person per year were assisted.

The city aims to reduce the unemployment rate from the current rate of 4.4% below four percent this year.

It also hopes to create a total of 125,000 new jobs and send 13,500 guest workers abroad this year.

More than 77.5% of 4.34 million working-age people will receive vocational training this year. Last year, more than 2.81 million working-age people received vocational training, accounting for 75% of the total working-age people in the city.

More than 14,000 workers were sent to work abroad, including 5,520 female workers, an increase of 450 workers compared to the previous year.

The unemployment rate reached 4.4 percent last year, with a total of 130,100 new jobs being created.

Last year, a total of 122,770 people registered for unemployment insurance benefits, an increase of 14,270 people compared to 2015.

More than 122,200 people enjoyed unemployment insurance benefits, a year-on-year increase of 13,800 people compared to the previous year.

The city recorded 54 labour disputes last year, with 18,700 workers participating, a decline of 29 strikes compared to 2015.