Joint Circular No. 01/1999/TTLT/BKH-BTC-BLDTBXH guides the planning for integrating programs and projects participating in poverty reduction efforts.

CIRCULAR

JOINT CIRCULAR ISSUED BY THE MINISTRIES OF PLANNING AND INVESTMENT, FINANCE, AND LABOUR, INVALIDS AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS NO. 01/1999/TTLT/BKH-BTC-BLDTBXH DATED MARCH 15, 1999 GUIDING THE PLANIFICATION OF THE INCORPORATION OF PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS IMPLEMENTING POVERTY ELIMINATION

Pursuant to Article 2, Point 4 of Decision No. 133/1998/QĐ-TTg dated July 23, 1998 of the Prime Minister, the joint ministries of Planning and Investment, Finance, and Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs guide the planification of the incorporation of programmes and projects implementing poverty elimination as follows:

I. PLANIFICATION OF PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS IMPLEMENTING POVERTY ELIMINATION

A. CONCEPT OF PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS IMPLEMENTING POVERTY ELIMINATION (PE)

Programmes and projects with objectives, tasks, and resources that directly benefit poor individuals and poor communes are referred to as programmes and projects participating in implementing PE.

According to the above concept, during the period from 1998 to 2000, there were 21 domestic and international cooperation programmes and projects participating in implementing PE (details of each programme are set out in Appendix 01 attached hereto).

B. PLANIFICATION OF PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS IMPLEMENTING POVERTY ELIMINATION

The planification of programmes and projects implementing PE aims to coordinate the resources of different programmes and projects towards the common goal of PE. The planning process is carried out as follows:

1. At provincial level

- Annually, during the planning phase (August, September), the People's Committee of provinces and cities assigns the Department of Planning and Investment, which serves as the permanent office of the National Target Programme Steering Board on the local level, to be the focal point, in collaboration with the Departments of Finance and Prices, Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, and other specialized departments, to assess the implementation of the objectives, tasks, and activities of the programmes within their jurisdiction for the year, report on them, and develop the objectives, tasks, and resources for the planning year, including state budget capital (construction investment capital and operating expenses), credit capital, and international cooperation capital (including loans and non-refundable aid if applicable) of each programme operating within the management responsibility of the provincial or municipal People's Committee. Among these resources, there is a portion dedicated specifically to PE according to the objectives, tasks, and calculation methods specified in Appendix 02. The planning document is submitted to the provincial or municipal People's Committee for approval and then forwarded to the programme management ministry, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs for consolidation.

2. At central level.

Annually, during the consolidation phase (September, October), the programme management ministry is responsible for assessing the implementation of the objectives and activities of the programme for the year, reporting on them, and based on the proposals from the provinces and cities, developing the objectives, tasks, and resources for the programme planning year, including state budget capital (construction investment capital and operating expenses), foreign loans and aid, credit capital (if applicable), and mobilized capital from the people's participation contributions according to current regulations. At the same time, it determines the resources of the programme directly allocated to PE (according to the objectives, tasks, and calculation methods already defined in Appendix 02). This document is sent to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.

- After receiving the document from the programme management ministry, the Ministry of Planning and Investment collaborates with the Ministry of Finance to consolidate the objectives, tasks, and activities of the programmes that must be implemented in the planning year, estimate the investment capital plan from the state budget for each programme, and incorporate it into the overall state budget plan to submit to the Government for consideration and to the National Assembly for approval.

- Once approved by the National Assembly, the Ministry of Planning and Investment collaborates with the Ministry of Finance to notify the programme management ministry of the targets and resources of the programme for allocation to the ministries, localities, and programme activities. This includes the portion of the programme's capital directly allocated to PE as determined (in accordance with Appendix 02).

After completing the allocation, the programme management ministry sends the information back to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (for the portion of the programme's capital allocated to PE) for consolidation and recording in the overall plans of the ministries, sectors, and localities. The Ministry of Planning and Investment then reports to the Prime Minister for assignment of implementation.

II. ASSIGNMENT OF PLANNING INDICATORS

Each year, the programmes will assign three specific indicators as follows:

+ Objectives of the programme.

+ Capital and capital structure.

Of which: Capital for implementing poverty elimination.

+ Project list (if the programme has projects) and production volume (if applicable) and number of poor communes invested in.

1. Central-local division in assigning plans.

a. Indicators assigned by the Government.

The Government assigns comprehensive indicators to ensure that the programme proceeds according to its established objectives. Specific indicators for individual projects are delegated by the Government to the Chairmen of the Provincial and Municipal People's Committees. The details are as follows:

- The Prime Minister assigns the programme management ministry and the Provincial and Municipal People's Committees the total capital indicator for the programme and delegates the Minister of Planning and Investment to assign the following guiding indicators to the programme management ministry and the Provincial and Municipal People's Committees:

+ Objectives of the programme.

+ Production volume (if applicable), project list, number of poor communes invested in.

+ Construction investment capital, including the portion allocated for poverty elimination (according to the objectives and tasks already defined for each programme).

+ Operating expenses divided among the programme's activities or projects. Among these, the portion allocated for poverty elimination (according to the objectives and tasks already defined for each programme).

- The programme management ministries do not assign plans to the sectoral agencies at the local level and do not interfere in the localities' plan allocation for projects but only provide guidance on procedures, measures, and mechanisms and policies to implement the plan.

b. Indicators assigned by the Chairmen of the Provincial and Municipal People's Committees.

The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee assigns detailed targets to each project under the program and directly to poor communes, and informs the Chairman of the District People's Committee. If the program does not have projects and is implemented across all communes, then the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee assigns it to the District People's Committee for implementation at the commune level.

- Targets assigned by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee to project owners:

+ Project objectives

+ Quantity of production or tasks that the project must undertake.

+ Project investment capital divided into:

- Construction investment capital, including the portion directly impacting socio-economic development.

- Operating expenses allocated according to the content of activities, including the portion for socio-economic development.

+ For poor communes, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee assigns: The reduction rate of poor households and support capital for building infrastructure projects.

+ For programs implemented across all communes, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee assigns the District People's Committee with the objectives and funding for each program for the District People's Committee to assign to communes based on two criteria: objectives and funding for each program.

c. Re-register the plan of the Provincial People's Committee with the program management agency, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, and the Ministry of Finance. (Report the plan after allocation and assignment of targets to grassroots units).

After the Provincial People's Committee completes the plan assignment, compile and report the results of the budget allocation at the local level to the program management agency, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, and the Ministry of Finance as a basis for monitoring, managing, and settling accounts for the program.

d. Adjust the plan targets.

Plan target adjustments are carried out according to the principle that the level which assigns the plan has the authority to adjust the plan.

III. INTEGRATING PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:

1. Integrating resources from programs and projects participating in socio-economic development at the central level:

Resource integration from programs and projects participating in socio-economic development is conducted during the capital allocation and target assignment phase.

The goal at the central level is to outline integration directions and resources for implementation, without delving into specific project integration, and is carried out as follows:

- After the National Assembly approves the investment capital from the State Budget for each program, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, in coordination with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, based on the objectives and tasks directly related to socio-economic development of each program (in Appendixes 01 and 02), estimates the capital for each program dedicated to socio-economic development within the total approved capital by the National Assembly. Simultaneously, officially inform the program management agency of the total program capital managed by the Ministry, including the portion designated for socio-economic development according to the objectives, tasks, and calculation methods specified in (Appendix 02).

- The program management agency, upon receiving the official notification from the Ministry of Planning and Investment regarding the total program capital and the portion for socio-economic development, proceeds to allocate to Ministries and localities, and sends to the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance for consolidation into the overall plan of the Ministry and locality to be submitted to the Prime Minister for assignment (according to the detailed indicators in Section II) for implementation by Ministries, sectors, and localities.

2. Organizing the integration of programs and projects operating within provinces and cities.

- Objectives of integrating programs within provinces and cities:

+ Concentrating resources for socio-economic development goals,

+ Avoiding overlapping activities, reducing points of contact for the public,

+ Combining with locally mobilized resources to enhance the strength and effectiveness of programs.

- Program and project integration within provinces and cities is carried out immediately during the allocation and target assignment phase and only at the provincial and city levels. Districts and counties are only responsible for implementing integrated projects at the provincial level, not further integration.

- Method of implementation:

- Upon receiving the plan targets assigned by the Prime Minister and delegated to the Minister of Planning and Investment, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee assigns the Department of Planning and Investment, the standing body of the national program steering committee, to act as the focal point and coordinate with the Department of Finance and Price Control, the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, and specialized departments to study and implement the integration of programs and projects within the province before assigning the plan. The Department of Planning and Investment coordinates with the Department of Finance and Price Control to inform specialized departments of all objectives, tasks, and sources of funding for programs within the province, including the portion of program funding for socio-economic development, so that specialized departments can participate in proposing integration schemes according to the following contents:

a. Integrating construction-oriented projects within the province

These are small-scale infrastructure and production projects of programs such as 773, settlement, health, education, population and family planning, clean water and rural environmental sanitation, village cluster centers, rural economic and social development, rural power grid development, and rural transportation network development. If these projects are implemented separately by individual programs, they may lead to dispersion or overlap within the area, thus requiring integration before plan assignment for implementation.

- The integration of construction-oriented projects is carried out through the following two models:

+ Model of integrating projects meeting common usage targets for multiple programs within the area.

Step I: Select the main project for integration with other projects.

The Department of Planning and Investment, in collaboration with specialized departments, selects several "main projects" at specific locations to integrate other projects into them. For example, if many programs have funds for constructing health stations, select one health station construction project from a particular program as the "main project" to integrate with other similar projects. The "main project" for integration must have a specific location and owner, and a comprehensive budget estimate.

Step II: Determine the capital of projects participating in integration with the main project. Based on having selected the "main project" and specific location, the Department of Planning and Investment will coordinate with specialized departments to determine the level of capital for other projects participating in integration into the "main project" and the total capital of the project after integration for approval by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and assignment to the main project subject to implement.

Step III: Implementation. After receiving the plan index assigned by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, the main project subject has the responsibility to implement the integrated capital index and must account for the capital of projects that have participated in integration for the implementation of project components.

Specialized departments with capital participating in integration into the "main project" have the responsibility to monitor the implementation of the integrated project and cooperate with the main project subject in the settlement and finalization of the project according to current regulations.

+ Model of integrating projects to form community centers.

Method of proceeding:

Step I: Identify community centers requiring investment for project integration. The Department of Planning and Investment will coordinate with specialized departments to select one or more community centers urgently needing investment and based on the current status of existing infrastructure projects to determine the need for construction investment.

Step II: Propose projects for integration into the construction of community centers. Based on the identified community centers requiring investment, the Department of Planning and Investment will propose specific projects to be constructed at the selected community centers to be submitted for approval by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and assigned to project subjects for implementation.

Step III: Implementation. Specialized departments are responsible for directing project subjects to implement according to the integrated plan index assigned by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee for construction at community centers.

- Management of integrated projects to form community centers is carried out as follows:

+ The district is the investor.

+ Establish a Project Management Board chaired by a Deputy Chairman of the District People's Committee, with members including representatives from specialized departments involved in project integration and the Chairmen of villages within the cluster.

- Regarding management: After integration, each sector manages its own projects, including both the organization of construction and settlement and finalization. Projects without a sector managing them, or those primarily funded by local budgets (province, district), are managed by the district.

b. Model of integrating promotional, educational, mobilization activities, and the use of dedicated staff and volunteers from programs in the locality.

These are activities that most programs have, and if each program proceeds separately, it would lead to repeated activities causing waste in the use of staff and wasting time on meetings. Additionally, due to different subsidies for dedicated staff and volunteers from various programs, misunderstandings can arise among staff and the potential of dedicated staff and volunteers cannot be fully utilized. To address this situation, integration is necessary, and many localities have successfully implemented such integration.

- Method of implementation:

Step I: First, the province must classify and understand how many promotional, educational, and mobilization activities of programs are being conducted in the locality and how many dedicated staff and volunteers there are, along with specific subsidy rates for each type of staff from different programs.

For information dissemination, promotional, and educational activities that must reach the entire population and be conducted through mass media, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee assigns the provincial radio and television station and major newspapers to carry out these tasks. The content of promotion for each program and specific funding for implementation are proposed by specialized departments and approved by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee for execution.

Step II: Integration of activities of dedicated staff and volunteers. For the activities of dedicated staff and volunteers from each program at the village level, depending on the actual situation in the locality, the Department of Planning and Investment will coordinate with specialized departments to select staff from one or two programs to undertake all promotional, educational, and mobilization activities of other programs in the village (excluding agricultural extension, forestry extension, and fisheries extension which are handled by the agriculture and fisheries sectors). Selected staff must have a general understanding of the promotional tasks of other programs and be capable of handling the work assigned by other programs. For example, health sector staff may handle population education, child malnutrition prevention, and HIV/AIDS prevention programs.

Subsidies for these staff are decided by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and sourced from the operational funds for information dissemination, promotion, and education of participating programs. However, not all funds from the programs are used to pay these staff, but only a suitable amount corresponding to the time and effort they spend on their tasks. Savings from this will be allocated to other activities of the program that need to be expanded but lack funding.

IV. PLANNING FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MONITORING WORK ON THE EXECUTION OF PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS PARTICIPATING IN URBAN DEVELOPMENT

1. Purpose of monitoring

- To identify strengths and weaknesses, promptly correct deviations during the implementation of programs, especially the integration of programs for urban development goals.

- To ensure that programs are implemented according to set objectives and tasks.

- To ensure that program funds are used for the intended beneficiaries and purposes.

- To ensure transparency and public participation in program implementation.

- To derive good models of practices.

2. Monitoring agencies and levels

- At the central level: The program management ministry shall take the lead in coordinating with relevant ministries: the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance, and legal agencies to organize inspections of localities.

- At the local level: The specialized department shall take the lead in coordinating with relevant departments to conduct inspections of projects, districts, and communes.

3. Time and subjects of inspection:

a. Inspection time:

- Annually, the program management ministry will organize inspections of localities.

- Quarterly and every six months, the specialized department will organize inspections of districts and communes, and report the results of the inspections to the program management ministry.

b. Subjects of inspection:

- Projects under the program include all those of central ministries and sectors within the locality, including projects directly managed by the central government (if any).

- Poor communes and poor households.

4. Content of Inspection

- Implementation of the program's objectives within the locality, paying attention to objectives related to poverty reduction within the locality.

- Use of central funds and other sources of funding for the program within the locality. Attention should be paid to whether the proportion of program funds allocated directly for poverty reduction has reached the people and at what level.

- Implementation of mechanisms and policies prescribed for the program that must be implemented.

- Coordination among sectors and levels and mobilization of public participation in implementing the program.

- Evaluation of the results of program implementation and drawing lessons learned.

V. ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES OF MINISTRIES, SECTORS AND LOCALITIES IN PLANNING THE PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS TO PARTICIPATE IN POVERTY REDUCTION

1. Assignment of responsibilities for organization and implementation at the central level:

a. The Ministry of Planning and Investment: Shall have the responsibility:

- To act as the focal point assisting the Government in planning and integrating programs and projects participating in poverty reduction, and managing the implementation of plans.

- To take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance in allocating state budget investment capital for each program and integrating programs and projects at the central level; to participate with the Ministry of Finance in forecasting regular expenditures from the state budget for each program, including the portion dedicated to poverty reduction objectives.

- After the National Assembly approves the allocation of state budget capital for each program, the Ministry of Planning and Investment shall coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to notify the program management ministries to allocate to the relevant ministries and localities.

- To participate with the Program Management Ministry in developing mechanisms and policies to implement the programs.

- To participate with the Program Management Ministry and other relevant ministries in inspecting the implementation of programs.

- To report on the implementation of programs quarterly and annually to the Prime Minister.

b. The Ministry of Finance: Shall have the responsibility:

- To take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment in balancing regular expenditures from the state budget for each program; to participate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment in balancing investment construction capital from the state budget for each program.

- To disburse capital for programs according to current regulations and the progress of each program.

- To guide program management ministries and provincial People's Committees on financial management mechanisms and settlement procedures for programs.

- To coordinate with the Program Management Ministry, the Ministry of Planning and Investment in inspecting program implementation at ministries, sectors, and localities.

- To take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Program Management Ministry to address financial bottlenecks during the implementation of program activities and projects.

c. The Program Management Ministry: Shall have the responsibility:

- To carry out planning tasks for the program as assigned by the program management ministry according to the contents specified in Sections I, II, III, and IV.

- To determine in the annual plan the resources of the program participating in poverty reduction according to the objectives and tasks prescribed for each program in Appendices 01 and 02.

- To monitor the implementation of the program's objectives across the country, each province, city, and down to each project.

- To oversee the entire list of projects and the implementation status of each project in specific areas.

- To manage the program's resources uniformly to ensure their use in accordance with the program's objectives and tasks, but not to hold funds to directly allocate budgets to specific projects and activities at the local and central levels (except for projects directly implemented by the ministry).

- To organize unified management of program activities and guide provinces and cities on measures to effectively implement the program's objectives without assigning plans to vertical sectoral agencies at the local level.

- To research and propose mechanisms and policies for the program and issue guidelines for localities to implement them.

- To organize periodic inspections every six months, nine months, and annually regarding the implementation of programs by provinces and cities according to the specified content (in Section IV).

- To promptly identify and propose solutions to the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance for issues hindering program implementation by ministries and localities, and to jointly recommend solutions to the Prime Minister for issues exceeding the authority of the ministries.

- To report on program implementation quarterly, every six months, nine months, and annually according to the unified content and format specified (in Appendix 03) to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs for consolidation and reporting to the Prime Minister.

- Specifically, the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs, as the permanent management agency for the national target program on poverty reduction, in addition to the general responsibilities mentioned above (point 1, Section V), also has the responsibility to coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance to aggregate resources from other programs and projects participating in poverty reduction to combine with the independent investment resources of the national target program on poverty reduction into a unified resource for poverty reduction work annually.

2. Assignment of responsibilities for implementation at the local level:

a. Chairmen of Provincial People's Committees: Shall have the responsibility:

- Through the Department of Planning and Investment, which serves as the permanent office of the Steering Committee for national programs and targets on the local level, organize the development of plans for activities under these programs on the local level according to the contents specified (in Point 1, Section I).

- Organize the allocation of plans:

+ After receiving the plan indicators from the Government, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee has the responsibility to report to the Provincial People's Council to be aware and participate in supervising the distribution and management of implementation.

+ Assign the Department of Planning and Investment to coordinate with the Department of Finance and Prices and other specialized departments to develop allocation schemes for project owners in poor communes and District People's Committees (if it is a program without projects) according to the contents specified (in Section II) to submit to the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee for consideration and decision-making and implementation.

- Organize the integration of programs and activities on the local level towards poverty reduction goals through the Department of Planning and Investment and specialized departments according to the contents specified in (Point 2, Section III) before allocating plans.

- Manage the organization and implementation of programs and activities on the local level through specialized departments and the Chairmen of District People's Committees.

- In addition to central resources already allocated, organize the mobilization of local resources according to current regulations for poverty reduction and ensure clear settlement and public announcement for all citizens to be informed.

- Organize inspections of program implementation down to each project according to the contents specified (in Section IV).

- Report the situation of plan implementation quarterly and annually for programs under the management of the Provincial People's Committee to the Program Management Ministry, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs according to the unified content and form specified (in Appendix 03).

b. Responsibilities of the Department of Planning and Investment:

- Serve as the permanent office of the Steering Committee for national programs and targets on the local level, act as the main liaison assisting the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee in:

+ Developing plans for programs participating in poverty reduction activities on the local level.

+ Coordinating with specialized departments to integrate programs on the local level before allocating plan indicators to implementing units.

+ Coordinating with specialized departments to propose allocation schemes for project owners, poor communes, and District Chairmen to submit to the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee for decision-making and implementation.

+ Assisting the People's Committee in managing and summarizing the overall situation of program implementation and participation in poverty reduction activities on the local level.

c. The Department of Finance and Prices: Has the responsibility:

- Coordinate with the Department of Planning and Investment and specialized departments in allocating funds for projects, poor communes, and districts (if there are no specific projects) and in integrating programs on the local level.

- Direct the disbursement of funds for programs according to the content and progress of program implementation.

- Guide project owners and sectors in financial operations and new financial policies related to the implementation of each program on the local level.

- Settle and finalize financial accounts for programs on the local level and send them to the Program Management Ministry and the Ministry of Finance.

- Organize inspections of financial regulations for programs on the local level.

d. Specialized Departments: Have the responsibility:

- Lead and coordinate with the Department of Planning and Investment in developing plans for programs under their management.

- Participate with the Department of Planning and Investment in allocating indicators and integrating programs on the local level.

- Coordinate with the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (the vertical agency managing the national poverty reduction program on the local level) during the process of integrating programs and projects participating in poverty reduction activities on the local level.

- Organize the implementation of programs according to projects and program activities.

- Participate with the Department of Finance and Prices in settling the budget for projects under their management.

- Organize inspections of projects within the program.

đ. Chairmen of District People's Committees: Have the responsibility:

- Propose to the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee about the plan indicators for programs operating in the district and commune plan indicators for poor communes within the district.

- After receiving the plan indicators from the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee (including the plan indicators assigned to the district and announcing the indicators directly assigned by the Provincial People's Committee to projects and poor communes within the district), the Chairman of the District People's Committee reports to the District People's Council to be aware and participate in supervising the distribution and implementation.

- Allocate plan indicators to communes (for programs implemented across all communes and without specific projects).

- Organize and direct the implementation of programs on the district level down to each specific project and poor commune.

- Mobilize resources within the district according to current regulations for poverty reduction beyond central and provincial allocations.

- Report the situation of program implementation quarterly and annually to specialized departments, the Department of Planning and Investment, and the Department of Finance and Prices.

e. Chairmen of Commune People's Committees: have the responsibility:

- When receiving plan indicators from the district, the Chairman of the Commune People's Committee reports to the Commune People's Council about the indicators, tasks, and resources of programs operating in the commune.

- The Chairman of the Commune People's Committee coordinates with the Vietnam Fatherland Front at the commune level to convene meetings with representatives of villages to inform the entire population about the goals, tasks, and funding of programs being implemented in the commune and to discuss measures for implementation together with the people.

- The construction of social infrastructure projects such as schools, health stations, clean water facilities, power stations, transportation roads, markets, or production service projects such as small irrigation works, etc., shall be discussed and decided upon by the commune. In addition to the capital provided by the central government and province/city, the People's Committee of the commune shall discuss democratically with the people in the commune to unify measures for mobilizing local resources for these projects, including contributions in labor days, capital, and other materials. Upon completion of the project, the settlement and final accounts must be reported clearly according to current regulations and publicly announced so that all residents in the commune are informed.

VI. IMPLEMENTATION PROVISIONS

This Circular takes effect fifteen days from the date of signature.

The Ministers, Heads of Ministries equivalent to ministries, Heads of government agencies, Chairpersons of People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities are responsible for implementing this Circular.

During the implementation process, if difficulties arise, they should be reported to the Joint Ministry for study and resolution.

APPENDIX 01

PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS PARTICIPATING IN IMPLEMENTING RURAL DEVELOPMENT

A. DOMESTIC PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS:

1. Project to plant 5 million hectares of forest:

The objectives and resources of this program are mainly aimed at benefiting poor individuals and poor communes through job creation, income increase, and contributing to stabilizing the population of ethnic minorities in mountainous areas, remote regions.

2. Program 773

Its objectives affecting rural development include: Opening up land for production means for the poor and building welfare facilities in poor communes.

3. Education and Training Program

Its direct impact on rural development includes: Eradicating illiteracy and universalizing primary education; Supporting mountainous and ethnic education (providing textbooks for students); Upgrading physical facilities of general schools.

4. Health Program

Its direct impact on rural development includes: Treating malaria, goiter, leprosy, tuberculosis, dengue fever for the general public, especially the poor; Upgrading equipment of health facilities; Eliminating white communes in terms of healthcare.

5. HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Program

Its objective is to treat HIV/AIDS patients generally, including the poor, particularly orphans whose parents died from AIDS.

6. Population and Family Planning Program

Its direct impact on rural development includes: Providing contraceptive means and services to the general public, including the poor; Building health stations in communes.

7. Clean Water and Environmental Sanitation Program in Rural Areas

Its objective is to ensure the provision of clean water and environmental sanitation in rural areas, including the poor, and constructing clean water supply facilities in poor communes.

8. National Employment Program:

Its direct participation in rural development includes:

+ Participating in solving employment for poor households without jobs,

+ Free vocational training for children of poor households at state-managed employment service centers.

9. Child Protection and Care Program

Its direct impact on rural development includes:

+ Caring for children in extremely difficult circumstances.

+ Preventing malnutrition among children.

10. Cultural Program

Its direct impact on rural development includes: Developing grassroots cultural information in mountainous, remote, and border areas: Arranging cultural staff, providing books and communication tools for poor communes.

11. Radio Coverage Program

Its objective is to provide radios to highland border, island, and poor households within the policy target group.

12. Television Coverage Program:

Its direct impact on rural development includes:

+ Providing televisions to highland border, island, and poor households within the policy target group.

Providing TVRO machines to community gathering points in poor highland, border, and island communes.

13. Drug Prevention Program

Its direct impact on rural development includes: Adjusting crop structures in poor communes to eliminate opium poppies and rehabilitate drug addicts among the poor.

14. Some Tasks and Policies Participating in Implementing Rural Development:

- Developing the household electricity grid system in rural areas. The objective is to participate in building power lines and substations in poor communes.

- Developing the rural transportation system. The objective is to participate in building rural transportation roads to poor communes.

- Loan policy for people to raise foundations and build houses on piles in flood-prone provinces in the Mekong Delta.

- Subsidy and rate support policy for mountainous and highland areas for ethnic groups, including the poor.

- Disaster relief and famine aid policy.

- Rural Development Fund of localities.

B. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS (INCLUDING LOAN CAPITAL AND NON-REPAYABLE ASSISTANCE)

1. National Health Support Project:

Its direct participation in rural development includes: Building commune health stations, including poor communes.

2. Population and Family Health Project:

Its direct participation in rural development includes: Building commune health stations, including poor communes.

3. IFAD Project

Its direct participation in rural development includes: Building infrastructure and providing loans to the poor.

4. Northeast Forest Planting Project

5. Central Vietnam Forest Planting Project

6. Forestry Area Project for Thanh Hoá, Quảng Trị, Phú Yên, and Gia Lai.

7. Forest Protection and Rural Development Project.

These projects directly affect poor households and communes in remote and border areas through job creation and income increase for ethnic minority poor people.

8. Direct credit projects for the poor funded by the Federal Republic of Germany such as:

Rural Development Credit Project for 3 old Region 4 provinces, Rural Development Credit Project for 7 northern mountainous provinces; Debt Conversion Project of the Federal Republic of Germany for Rural Development in Hà Giang Province.

The objectives and tasks of the above programs and projects participating directly in rural development are annually integrated into the national target program on rural development through planning and balancing resources of each program (which will be detailed in subsequent sections).

TABLE
MOBILIZATION OF RESOURCES FOR THE OBJECTIVES AND TASKS OF PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS PARTICIPATING IN IMPLEMENTING RURAL DEVELOPMENT

APPENDIX 02

ANNEX: 03

MODEL 1: REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PLANS AND BUDGETS OF NATIONAL PROGRAMS IN PROVINCES AND CITIES

Report on implementation for Quarter (6 months, year):

Reporting agency:

Fully record 16 National Programs. In each program, divide into four main activity indicators: (1) professional activities; (2) infrastructure construction; (3) information, education, and communication; (4) other activities. Each group of activities should include key indicators. Specifically as follows:

1. Professional Activities: These are core activities of the program, belonging to the functional operations of various sectors. Examples include planting and caring for forests; providing loans, health services, education, family planning; activities such as diagnosis and treatment, prevention of prostitution, drug abuse, etc. (For each activity and project, please specify the portion allocated for sustainable development).

2. Infrastructure Construction:This involves building infrastructure and purchasing equipment to support professional activities such as constructing classrooms, health stations, family planning centers; upgrading medical equipment, supplying drinking water to residents; building rural roads, markets, electricity; broadcasting stations, cultural facilities, etc. (For each activity and project, please specify the portion allocated for sustainable development).

3. Information-Education-Communication:These are activities conducted through direct propaganda, media communication; training and professional development of staff; supporting managers, volunteers, and propagandists at the grassroots level to effectively carry out the professional activities of the program. (For each activity and project, please specify the portion allocated for sustainable development).

4. Other Activities: These are special activities of National Programs that cannot be categorized under the above three activities. (For each activity and project, please specify the portion allocated for sustainable development).

MODEL 2: REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NATIONAL PROGRAMS AND BUDGET

(Ministries managing National Programs submit reports to the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, and the Government Office)

Report on Implementation for Quarter (6 Months, Year):

Reporting agency:

In each program, divide into four main activity indicators: (1) professional activities; (2) infrastructure construction; (3) information, education, and communication; (4) other activities. Each group of activities should include key indicators according to the concepts and examples in Model 1.