Vietnam Gov’t Oks VND61.5T Package to Help Needy People amid Coronavirus

Vietnam’s government on April 2 agreed with the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI)’s proposal of a VND61.5 trillion ($2.6 billion) support package towards people, who are affected by the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), state media reported. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc then ordered the MPI, the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA), the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Justice, among others, to draft the resolution on such support. Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung informed that the package, including VND35.88 trillion from the state budget, is for 20 million people. Mr. Dung then listed six subjects of the package, including 1.2 million national contributors and 2.8 million people under support of social security policy; 900,000 poor households and 1.2 million near-poor households; laborers who are streamlined without intermediate payment; laborers who are streamlined without contracts nor further social security support; businesses, which must halt operation due to quarantine rules; and businesses, which cannot pay laborers the minimum wage and aim to keep staff. Minister Dung added that the package has three methods of fulfilling the people’s demand for utility and essential goods and lowering utility prices; delaying or waiving collection of insurance premium; and preparing for post-pandemic activities. (CafeF, cafef.vn, vnexpress.net, vtv.vn, vietnambiz.vn, cafef.vn, vietnambiz.vn, rfa.org, cafef.vn, zingnews.vn, vietnamnews.vn, e.vnexpress.net)