Decision No. 1637/QD-TTg On Providing Certain Types of Newspapers and Magazines to Ethnic Minority Areas and Mountainous Regions

Pursuant to …;

On the issuance of certain types of newspapers and magazines for ethnic minority areas and mountainous regions

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PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Government Organization Law dated September 30, 1992;

Pursuant to Resolution No. 22/NQTW dated November 17, 1989 of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Sixth Congress, on major policies for economic and social development in mountainous regions;

Pursuant to Decision No. 72/HĐBT dated March 13, 1990 of the Council of Ministers (now the Government) on specific policies for economic and social development in mountainous regions;

Pursuant to Directive No. 39/1998/CT-TTg dated December 3, 1998 of the Prime Minister on accelerating cultural and information work in mountainous regions and among ethnic minority groups;

At the proposal of the Minister of Culture and Information, the Chairman of the State Committee for Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas, and the Minister of Finance,

DECISION:

Article 1. The State shall issue (without charge) certain types of newspapers and magazines aimed at strengthening information work to serve political, economic, and social development in ethnic minority areas and mountainous regions.

Article 2. The types of newspapers and magazines and their distribution scope and target audience are stipulated as follows under Article 1 of this Decision:

1. The special edition "Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Regions" of the Children's Newspaper (organ of the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union):

To be issued to primary schools in mountainous, highland, border, and island communes; primary boarding schools for ethnic minorities in mountainous provinces and ethnic minority areas, one copy per class.

2. The special edition "Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Regions" of the Pioneer Youth Newspaper (organ of the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union):

To be issued to secondary schools in mountainous, highland, border, and island communes; middle boarding schools for ethnic minorities in mountainous provinces and ethnic minority areas, one copy per class.

3. The bulletin "Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Regions" of the Vietnam News Agency:

To be issued to mountainous regions and ethnic minorities, one copy per provincial People's Committee, three copies per district People's Committee, one copy per commune People's Committee, one copy per village, and one copy per border guard post.

4. The special edition "Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Regions" of the Vietnam News Agency:

To be issued to mountainous regions and ethnic minorities, one copy per provincial People's Committee, three copies per district People's Committee, one copy per commune People's Committee, and one copy per border guard post.

5. Seven special editions "Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Regions" of seven newspapers: Vietnam Agriculture (organ of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), Rural Life Today (organ of the Vietnam Farmers' Association), Economic VAC (organ of the Vietnam Horticulture Association), Science and Life (organ of the Vietnam Association for Science and Technology), Culture (organ of the Ministry of Culture and Information), Health and Life (organ of the Ministry of Health), and Vietnam Industry (organ of the Ministry of Industry):

To be issued to particularly difficult communes under Program 135, one copy per commune People's Committee; to mountainous regions and ethnic minorities, one copy per provincial People's Committee, one copy per Provincial Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Affairs Board, one copy per district People's Committee, and one copy per border guard post.

6. The arts special edition "Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Regions" of the Literature Newspaper (organ of the Vietnam Writers' Association), Cultural Magazine of Ethnic Minorities (organ of the Vietnam Association of Ethnic Minority Literature and Arts), and Mountainous Regions and Ethnic Minorities Magazine (organ of the State Committee for Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas):

To be issued to libraries of boarding schools for ethnic minorities, five copies per library; to mountainous regions and ethnic minorities, two copies per provincial library, two copies per district library, and one copy per border guard post.

7. The Ethnology Magazine (organ of the National Center for Social Sciences and Humanities) and the Ethnic Minorities and Contemporary Times Magazine (organ of the Vietnam Association of Ethnology):

To be issued to mountainous regions and ethnic minorities, two copies per provincial library, and two copies per district library.

8. The Border Guard Newspaper (organ of the Border Guard Command):

To be issued to mountainous communes and ethnic minority communes along the border, two copies per commune People's Committee.

Article 3. Allocation of responsibilities for implementation

b) Granting permits for installation and use of TVRO to receive foreign television programs for the subjects mentioned in points a, c, đ, e Clause 1 and points a, b Clause 2 of Article 1 of this Decision.

a) To take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to guide, monitor, and inspect the content of newspapers and magazines issued to meet the information needs of ethnic minorities and mountainous regions, consistent with the editorial policy and purpose of each newspaper and magazine.

b) To take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to develop plans, mechanisms, and policies for developing press work serving ethnic minorities and mountainous regions.

c) To coordinate to guide, monitor, and inspect the issuance and use of newspapers and magazines to ensure they reach the intended recipients and achieve effectiveness.

2. The State Committee for Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas:

a) To take the lead in placing orders with the organs of newspapers and magazines issued according to the quantity and target audience approved by the Prime Minister.

b) To take the lead in guiding, monitoring, and inspecting the issuance and use of newspapers and magazines to ensure they reach the intended recipients and achieve effectiveness.

c) To coordinate to guide, monitor, and inspect the content of newspapers and magazines issued; to develop plans, mechanisms, and policies for developing press work serving ethnic minorities and mountainous regions.

3. Ministry of Finance:

a) To allocate funds from the central budget annually for newspapers and magazines within the scope approved by the Prime Minister.

b) To coordinate to guide, monitor, and inspect the content of information, the issuance and use of newspapers and magazines; to develop plans, mechanisms, and policies for developing press work serving ethnic minorities and mountainous regions.

4. Ministry of Planning and Investment:

To coordinate to guide, monitor, and inspect the content of information, the issuance and use of newspapers and magazines; to develop plans, mechanisms, and policies for developing press work serving ethnic minorities and mountainous regions.

5. The Government Price Control Board:

To take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to determine the publication and distribution costs of newspapers and magazines issued.

6. The General Post Office Administration:

To organize timely and accurate delivery of newspapers and magazines issued to the designated addresses.

7. The Ministry of Education and Training:

To determine the number and specific list of schools and classes eligible to receive the special editions "Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Regions" of the Children's Newspaper and the Pioneer Youth Newspaper.

8. The National Committee for Child Protection and Care:

To coordinate to monitor and inspect the content, issuance, and use of the special editions "Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Regions" of the Children's Newspaper and the Pioneer Youth Newspaper.

9. The management organs of the newspapers and magazines specified in Article 2 of this Decision:

Direct, inspect press agencies to fulfill assigned tasks, ensuring content suitability, correct target audience allocation, and effective utilization.

10. Press and magazine agencies identified in Article 2 of this Decision:

a) Shall be responsible for fulfilling assigned tasks, meeting the information needs of ethnic minority and mountainous area populations, consistent with the mission and purpose of the press and magazines.

b) Shall coordinate to monitor and inspect the allocation and usage of press and magazines to the correct target audience, achieving effectiveness.

11. People's Committees at all levels:

a) Shall be responsible for inspecting the allocation of press and magazines; organizing to enhance their effective use within their jurisdiction.

b) Shall contribute opinions to relevant Ministries and agencies, and press agencies regarding improvements to the content and format of allocated press and magazines.

Article 4. Financial mechanism for allocating certain types of press and magazines.

1. Annually, based on the report from the Ministry of Culture and Information evaluating the content of information; and the report from the Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas Committee assessing the situation of press and magazine allocation and use, the Ministry of Finance shall take the lead, coordinating with the Ministry of Culture and Information, the Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas Committee, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the General Post Office Administration, and the Government Price Board to propose the budget for allocating certain types of press and magazines to ethnic minority and mountainous areas according to regulations and include it in the state budget draft for submission to the Prime Minister for decision.

2. Based on the approved budget, the Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas Committee shall place orders with press and magazine agencies according to the quantity and target audience approved by the Prime Minister.

3. The budget for allocating certain types of press and magazines shall be balanced within the central government budget draft provided directly by the Ministry of Finance to press agencies for implementation.

Management of expenditure and settlement of the budget for allocating certain types of press and magazines shall be carried out in accordance with the State Budget Law, guiding documents of the Law, and related legal regulations.

4. For the year 2002, due to urgent preparation, the Ministry of Finance shall take the lead, coordinating with the Ministry of Culture and Information, the Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas Committee, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the General Post Office Administration, and the Government Price Board to accurately re-evaluate the scope, target audience, and budget allocation for each press and magazine according to this Decision; unify the format of special topics; for the Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas Committee to place orders with press agencies for the year 2002; the Ministry of Finance shall guide the implementation according to the approved budget draft guaranteed by the central government budget.

Article 5. This Decision shall take effect from the date of signing.

This Decision replaces the provisions concerning the allocation of press for children in rural mountainous areas and the Central Highlands, remote areas, and islands stipulated in Decision No. 21/TTg dated January 16, 1993 of the Prime Minister on policies for the distribution of books, press, films, and videos for children.

All previous regulations that conflict with this Decision are hereby abolished.

Article 6. The Ministry of Culture and Information shall take the lead, coordinating with the Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas Committee, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the General Post Office Administration, the Government Price Board, and related Ministries and agencies to guide the implementation of this Decision.

Article 7. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-affiliated agencies, Chairpersons of provincial and centrally-administered city People's Committees are responsible for implementing this Decision.