The National Assembly Standing Committee began its 19th meeting in Hanoi on April 14 to examine a report on the building of resettlement areas for displaced residents at the Son La hydro-electric power plant project.

The report, drafted by an inspection mission of the NA Standing Committee, showed that the disbursement of investment capital for the project between 2004-2008 only met less than 58 percent of the target, while the formulation, appraisal and approval of resettlement area projects were slow going.

The mission said that the slow progress has affected local people’s quality of life in the new locations, adding that no public works are under construction even though the people have already settled there.

According to K’sor Phuoc, head of the mission, local authorities have not completed drawing up production plans for their residents in the resettlement areas. Most residents still rely on the government’s monthly provision of 10kg of rice for each person.

For his part, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai assured that the Government will provide adequate capital and iron out snags in terms of policy and mechanisms to facilitate the evacuation of people and the building of resettlement areas.

Delegates proposed that the government give priority to completing basic infrastructure for people’s production and daily life in the new areas. They said the government should immediately develop production and poverty reduction projects to help ensure social welfare.

VietNamNet/VOV