The PM has issued multi-dimensional poverty lines from 2016-2020, with key criteria categorizing poor households, near- poor households, and households with average living-standards. Accordingly, the multi-dimensional poverty index consists of criteria on income and lack of access to basic social services. Regarding income, the new poverty line of VND700,000 ($33) per person per month was set for rural areas and that of VND900,000 per person per month for urban areas. The near-poor lines are VND1,000,000 and VND 1,300,000 per person per month for rural and urban areas, respectively. The new decision also stipulates levels of access to basic social services, including healthcare, education, housing, clean water and sanitation, and information. The lack of basic social services will be judged through ten indicators, including healthcare services; medical insurance; education of adults; school attendance of children; housing quality; average housing area per capita; water resources; hygiene latrines and toilets; telecom services; and assets to serve information access.
Poverty lines in 2016-2020
Poor households in rural areas must meet one of the two following conditions: (1) earning under VND700,000 in average income per person; (2) earning between VND 700,000 and VND1,000,000 in average income per capita and lack of at least three basic services access indicators. Poor households in urban areas are required to satisfy one of the two criteria including (1) earning under VND900,000 in average income per capita; (2) earning between VND 900,000 and VND1,300,000 in average income per capita and lack of at least three basic service access indicators. Near-poor households in rural areas are those with an average income per capita of VND VND700,000-VND1,000,000 and lack of less than three basic service access indicators. Near-poor households in urban areas are those with an average income per capita of VND 900,000-1,300,000 and lack of less than three basic service access indicators. Households with average living standards in rural areas earn an average income per capita of between VND1,000,000 and VND1,500,000. Households with average living standards in urban areas have an income per capita of between VND1,300,000 and VND1,950,000. The new multi-dimensional poverty index is expected to measure and supervise the shortage of income and access to basic social services of people; assist the ongoing poverty reduction efforts and the implementation of social welfare policies and policy making from 2016-2020. (news.chinhphu.vn Nov 20)