The Government recently issued a Resolution on measures to support people facing difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, about 20 million people affected by this pandemic will benefit from this social security support package.
According to the Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung, in the first quarter of this year, over 153,000 people applied for unemployment insurance. The living condition of workers, especially employees working in such areas as tourism, services, restaurants, hotels and self-employed workers is currently very difficult. Most of them had to quit their jobs.
The resolution on measures to support people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic is a very comprehensive support package, demonstrating the supporting role of the State, contributing to affirming the humanistic policy of the Party, State, Government, and the National Assembly towards the achievement of our goals. The VND 62 trillion support package is considered an unprecedented and urgent budget measure that will help alleviate the difficulties of people and businesses.
In order to implement this policy as quickly as possible, Minister Dung said that in April, the MoLISA immediately applied it to a number of groups such as people with meritorious service, poor households and near-poor households, among others. Meanwhile, beneficiaries from social insurance policies can benefit from the support this week, when the Prime Minister signs a decision on its criteria and full implementation.
An issue being raised is that the implementation of this support package should timely target the right subjects. According to the Standing Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee for Social Affairs Bui Sy Loi, it is relatively easy to review beneficiary groups such as people with meritorious service, poor households, and social protection beneficiaries who are receiving monthly allowances, as well as those with labour contracts. However, it is very difficult to calculate the exact number of workers without labour contracts losing their jobs at the moment.
In fact, freelance workers migrate to many places and often do jobs with unstable accommodation. Therefore, in order not to miss or duplicate these subjects, localities have to actively participate and coordinate in managing this group.
Loi also noted that during the review of beneficiaries, attention should also be paid to employees of non-business units that have been transformed into autonomous and self-responsible units as well as non-public educational institutions. Currently, these people are facing many difficulties.
If the COVID-19 epidemic continues to develop, according to Loi, in the near future, there may be a number of labourers in agricultural and rural areas who are deeply affected. This group must be researched and reviewed by local authorities to avoid any omission.
In general, the implementation of this social security package requires the active participation of all relevant agencies in order to ensure the spirit of “No one will be left behind”.
According to Minister Dao Ngoc Dung, the MoLISA will issue a circular detailing more about the above policy in order to help localities carry out works related to survey, evaluation and listing.
