SocTrang (VNA) - The poverty rate in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang fell from17.89 percent in 2016 to 2.66 percent in 2020 thanks to the effectiveness ofthe National Target Programme on Sustainable Poverty Reduction.

The resultwas revealed by Ma Chi Thanh, Deputy Director of the provincial Department ofLabour, Invalids and Social Affairs during a conference reviewing the five-yearimplementation of the programme in the Mekong Delta province on January 19.

Thanhsaid that the number of poor households in Soc Trang was more than 57,800 in2016, with Khmer ethnic minority families accounting for nearly 27 percent ofthe total.

Fiveyears later, the number was brought down to just over 8,610, or 2.66 percent ofthe total, he noted, adding that only 4.13 percent of Khmer ethnic minorityhouseholds were classified as poor last year.

Thepoverty rate declined more than 3 percent annually over the last five years - higherthan the goal set by the provincial Party Committee and People’s Committee.

Huynh Thi Diem Ngoc, Vice Chairwoman of the provincial People’s Committee, said that in thenext five years the province is set to cut the poverty rate by 2-3 percent and therate of disadvantaged Khmer households by 3-4 percent annually.

To thisend, it plans to accelerate economic restructuring, particularly inagriculture, and develop fisheries towards commodity production. It will alsoexpand effective business models and raise financial support for vocationaltraining and job creation.

Soc Trangtargets providing vocational training to at least 13,000 local workers, create 23,000-25,000jobs, and send 300-500 people abroad as guest workers./.