The government official made the suggestion at a conference hosted by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) to implement Directive No. 14-CT/TW dated July 19, 2017, by the Party Secretariat on "continuing to enhance Party leadership towards the gratitude work for contributors to the revolution" and summarising activities during the previous celebration for the 70th anniversary of the Wounded and Fallen Soldiers' Day (July 27, 1947-2017).
On behalf of the Government, Deputy PM Dam praised the efforts made by MOLISA and the relevant sectors, unions, businesses and the whole community in carrying out meaningful activities to express the gratitude to national contributors across the country.
The deputy PM suggested that the MOLISA should focus on handling unsolved dossiers on the recognition of national contributors’ status received in 2017 and strive to solve all of the dossiers by 2020, while stepping up the search and return of martyrs' remains by 2020 and the subsequent years.
He stressed that the best way to express gratitude to the martyrs, wounded soldiers and families of revolutionary contributors is to improve the tasks on socio-economic, cultural and environmental development, in addition to developing and multiplying effective models in every unit and every individual. MOLISA should collaborate with other ministries, sectors and mass organisations to jointly develop a detailed plan to implement the Secretariat's Directive No. 14-CT/TW in order to improve the gratitude work, Dam added.
MOLISA Minister Dao Ngoc Dung said that the ministry will focus on making comprehensive amendments to the Ordinance on Preferential Treatment of People with Meritorious Services to the Revolution, with 11 items requiring modification. The drafting committee for amendments will be set up next month and policy adjustments will be made on the basis of both meeting the requirements and resolving the concerns and aspirations of contributors and the economic conditions of the country.
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Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam presents the Certificate of Merit to collectives and individuals who made significant contributions to the movement in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Wounded and Fallen Soldiers' Day. (Credit: VGP)
The minister also pointed out that activities towards national contributors need to focus on the key objectives of; firstly, handling dossiers in recognition of revolutionary contributors’ status under the roadmap mentioned by Deputy PM Dam. Starting from October 1 this year, a pilot programme on handling dossiers for the wars’ former youth volunteers will be deployed in Nghe An, Quang Ngai and Quang Binh provinces.
Secondly, another focus will then be on housing support for contributors under the spirit of Directive 22 by the Prime Minister. Another important goal that needs to be addressed is that by 2020, 100% of policy beneficiaries and people with meritorious services will have an average or above average living standard in comparison to their residential areas.
According to a report by MOLISA, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Wounded and Fallen Soldiers' Day, the State budget spent approximately VND1.4 trillion (US$61.6 million) on visits, presenting gifts and caring for contributors, of which, local budgets spent around VND998.1 billion to present more than 2.44 million gifts to policy families, while the central budget allocated over VND394.6 billion.
On the basis of reviewing the implementation of preferential policies for national contributors, there are 5,900 cases requesting the recognition of martyrs, wounded soldiers and policy beneficiaries’ status. Provinces, branches, police and army forces have certified an additional 2,000 wounded soldiers and policy beneficiaries. Especially, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Wounded and Fallen Soldiers' Day, more than 498 martyrs have been recognised.
The Prime Minister decided to award the Certificate of Merit to 16 collectives and four individuals with excellent achievements during the movement.
