The basic social security system meets the requirements

Assessing and recognizing the issue of social security in Vietnam, Minister Dao Ngoc Dung said that in the past time, we have always been steadfast in the principle of economic development coupled with ensuring progress in social justice, without sacrificing social justice for economic development alone. Therefore, it can be seen that our social security system over the past time has basically met the requirements and implemented people's right to security close to international standards.

Vietnam's human development index (HDI) has grown rapidly; the social security system has also gradually formed three basic functions: preventing, minimizing and overcoming risks.

Regarding the issuance and implementation of support policies, in the past time, basically, we have been relatively proactive, implemented methodically and followed the roadmap along with flexibly handling arising problems, specific situations. As for the disadvantaged, right from the beginning of the year, the Government issued Decree No. 20/2021/ND-CP dated March 15, 2021 stipulating social assistance policies for beneficiaries of social protection, replacing Decree 136/ND-CP, which raised the average support level for the disadvantaged to over 33%, especially 100% for some subjects.

Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung gave a speech explaining and clarifying a number of issues raised by the NA deputies. Photo: VNA.

For people with meritorious services, the Government has issued Decree 75/ND-CP and ensured that 7 out of 12 groups of subjects are eligible to receive monthly support, of which the level of support is raised annually or monthly to over 1,000 billion VND per year. At the same time, the Government is urgently implementing multi-dimensional and sustainable poverty reduction policies, ensuring on schedule as prescribed by the NA, and adjusting salary policies for retirees, of particular interest to people who retired before 1995, with low pensions.

“During epidemic prevention and control, recently, the Party, State, Standing Committee of the NA and the Government have directed and issued numerous support policies. Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Binh Duong, Dong Nai and some localities have issued policies with large budget packages, millions of safety bags to ensure social security for people to feel secure at home, participate in epidemic prevention activities as well as implementing the motto "social security is key, a regular task". In that context, the Government issued three large packages of welfare policies, unprecedented policies and contingencies in special contexts to promptly respond to urgent requirements.”, Dung informed.

The minister said that up to now, despite limitations, the implementation of three support packages has shown the following results:

The support package under Resolution 42 has over 14 million beneficiaries.

The support package under Resolution 68/NQ-CP, after 4 months of nationwide deployment, approved VND 25.9 trillion and supported 26.71 million beneficiaries.

The support package for employees and employers from the UI Fund according to the Resolution of the Government and the NA, reviewed to support 363 thousand employers, supported money from the balance of the UI Fund for over 8 million workers, accounting for 85% of the labor force in beneficiaries with VND 20,644 trillion.

Together with state policies, local support packages and mobilizing social and people's resources have contributed to the well implementation of social security policies, despite a great number of difficulties and challenges, especially in the context of complicated epidemic developments", the Minister emphasized.

Firmly adhere to the principle of economic development associated with ensuring social security

Regarding the labor market, Minister Dao Ngoc Dung said that the pandemic had a great impact on the labor market, but the good news is that over the past month, in a "new state of flexible, safe and effective adaptation", the picture is progressing very well. According to reports in the southern provinces and inspection, it is shown that currently, production in industrial parks and export processing zones has been restored from 50-80%, the number of workers recovering is now about 70-75%, and even up to 90% for some localities. Thus, compared with the needs and requirements to meet orders, we still lack a labor force, but not to a serious extent because we have taken the initiative in solutions and the localities have also gradually restored production. According to the Minister, it is forecasted that by the end of the first quarter and the beginning of the second quarter of 2022, if there are no complicated developments, the ability to return to the labor market as usual will be met.

The social security system over the past time has basically met the requirements and implemented the people's right to security. Photo: NA

Also according to the Minister, on this issue, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs has reported to the Government and developed a program to restore and develop the labor market along with the issue of social security and divided into two phases: the phase of recovery and breakthrough period with the proposed mechanisms and policies are strong enough and large enough for this program to be one of the contents of the country's overall socio-economic recovery program focusing on 7 big problems:

First, it is to provide direct cash support to a number of labor force groups to contribute to the recovery of consumer demand.

Second, it is to support business households and employees with preferential loans to restore, maintain, develop, and create jobs.

Third, it is to improve the efficiency of job application services, effectively innovate labor supply and demand, and develop job transactions and online job connections.

Fourth, it is to support training, retraining and development of high-quality training infrastructure.

Fifth, it is to invest in the development of facilities to take care of the epidemic-hit vulnerable.

Sixth, it is to complete the national database on digital transformation workers in the field of population and labor connection.

Finally, to focus on caring for and developing social housing for the poor, workers and migrant workers.