Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Ha Noi, Jan. 1 (VNA) -- Allocations from the State budget for the Population Programme in 2001 will increase to VND 250 billion (USD 17.8 million), VND 25 billion higher than 2000.

With the annual allocation and financial assistance from the State in 2000, the National Committee for Population and Family Planning prioritised funds for raising the professional ability of a quarter of population workers; preventing infection from operations under the family planning programme; and increasing capital sources to accelerate disbursement of foreign aid projects.

For the 2001-2010 period, the State will ensure funds for population activities, while calling for financial assistance from domestic and foreign sources for the programme. The country is striving to increase the fund for population activities to the level of USD 0.6 per capita per year, to which the State will contribute from 60-80 percent. The remainder will be mobilised from other sources.

The target was set in the Population Strategy for the 2001-2010 period. The Government, in a decision approving the strategy, affirmed that population work is an important part of the National Development Strategy. It is a fundamental factor to raise the quality of the life of each citizen, each family and the whole society, making an important contribution to industrialising and modernising the country.

The government said to invest in population activities is to invest in sustainable socio-economic development, thus bringing direct and indirect benefits to the country.--VNA