(KPL) The number of poor families in the Lao PDR has been reduced by 1.2 % on an annual basis, according to Vice-President of National Steering Committee on Rural Development and Poverty Reduction, Mr. Savang Syhavong.
The percentage of poor families in Laos has been decreased from 27.7 in 2002-2003 to 20.4 in 2009-2010 and 18.77 this year, according to the senior official.
Mr. Savang also said that the rural development and poverty reduction for the Lao people had been implemented through creating preferable conditions for socio-economic development, promoting market- oriented production and export, and basic infrastructure development, especially, roads, telecommunications system and electricity.
In order to increase an access to financial assistance for the Lao people, the government has established Nayabay Bank in 2007 to provide loans to farmers, mainly in 47 poorest districts across the country, in prolicy-oriented manners.
Since established, the bank has already provided over 820 billion kip worth of loads to 2,400 villages nationwide.
Additionally, the govenrment has provided 42.53 billion kip to 528 villages as their community fund for poverty reduction since 2003. The funding has been reportedly benefiting 34,856 families nationwide.
