(VNF) - The Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP) reported that in 2014, it had lent VND39.654 trillion to over 2.1 million customers, helping 400,000 families escape poverty.

Information from the bank showed that the preferential loans helped to create jobs for over 126,000 labourers, assisted the payment of educational fees for over 660,000 pupils and students, built over 1 million units to provide safe water supplies in rural areas and constructed over 8,000 flood resistant houses in the Mekong River delta region.

The loans, therefore, contributed to reducing the poverty rate to below 6% across the country.

Credit provided by the VBSP has been praised by the Politburo and Secretariat as a creative solution of great humanitarian significance which has made important and effective contributions to realise the policies and targets set by the Party and State in terms of boosting poverty reduction, developing human resources, ensuring social welfare and political stability, and promoting socialism-oriented socio-economic development.

In 2015, the preferential loans will give priority to poor and ethnic minority-inhabited areas in northwestern, Central Highlands, west of southern regions. This year, the VBSP is also expected to complete policies for agencies in island, border and extremely disadvantaged areas./.

Nhu Quynh