(VNF) - Information from the Central Highlands steering committee reveals that so far over VND3.835 trillion has been invested in building infrastructure, supporting production and services to improve and increase the lives of ethnic minorities in extremely disadvantaged villages.

The funds have been provided by Program135 which is aimed at improving the socio-economic development in ethnic minority-inhabited and extremely disadvantaged communes.

Thanks to the investment, Central Highlands provinces have built 19,226 traffic items, schools, markets and medical stations; 245 irrigation works ensuring irrigation for 7,000 hectares of plants; and 141 power constructions to raise the number of communes having access to national grid to 97% in the region.

Under the program, 287,676 ethnic minority families in extremely disadvantaged villages have received 354,502 tons of seeds, over 17.2 million seedling plants and 40,264 machines for agricultural, forestry and fishery production and processing.

Moreover, Central Highlands provinces have built up 2,664 models of agricultural, forestry and fishery production, organised hundreds of training courses on the production, and given over 326,592 ethnic minority young people.

Program 135 is an emphatic guideline of the Party and State, which satisfies the aspiration of the people, contributes to boosting poverty reduction, and makes positive changes in the lives of ethnic minorities-inhabited extremely disadvantaged regions.

According to the Central Highlands steering committee, Central Highlands provinces are suggesting relevant agencies to raise the investment in these communes from the current VND1.5 billion per commune per year to VND2.5-3 billion to make the program more efficient./.

Minh Huyen