Temporary houses should be replaced with permanent ones before the start of the lunar new year next February.

Quang Ngai Electricity company provides a charity home for a storm victim. Building houses for the poor is a way for businesses to help reduce poverty.

At the meeting to review Government Resolution 30A on support programmes for poverty reduction for 62 poorest districts, Hung asked sectors and relevant parties to review and adjust plans to ensure Government support reaches every part of the country.

Local authorities should co-operate with businesses to develop the society and the economy by creating a better investment environment.

“Investment projects should be carefully considered to ensure social security and poverty reduction. This is a big concern of the country,” he said.

Speaking at the meeting, Hung sent his compliments to the businesses who have contributed to help the Government in the fight against poverty and called for further contribution and co-operation from businesses.

“Even though the GDP was expected to reach only 5.5 per cent, every sector has done a good job to stop the economic downturn and maintain social security,” he said.

Next year, the country would try to recover the economy and work on developing it sustainably, said Hung.

“It will be impossible without the support of the whole society,” he said.

Besides contributing to the housing plan, businesses were also asked to support vocational training and production activities to help improve living standards for people in these areas.

A report from the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs showed that 41 private and State-owned businesses have committed support for the 62 districts.

Thirty-six of these businesses have contributed a total amount of VND1.6 trillion (US$91.8 million) to support 55 districts in building houses, schools and infrastructure, by the end of September. The Fund for the Poor had received VND105 billion ($5.8 million) worth of contributions from individuals and organisations across the country so far this year, according to vice chairman of the committee, Vu Trong Kim.

Of the VND110.5 billion ($6.1 million) spent on building houses for the poor nationwide, VND81.5 billion ($4.5 million) has been allocated to the 62 districts as part of the resolution.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News