Over 11, 000 families in Vientiane Province live under poverty line

Over 11,000 families in Vientiane province reportedly live under poverty line as over 77,500 families live over the line in Vientiane province.

Out of 13 districts in the province, Saysomboune and Hom districts are amongst 47 poorest districts in the country, Party Secretary of the province Mr. Khammeung Phongsady told the 3rd Congress of Political Grassroots and Inclusive Rural Development held in Vientiane Capital last week.

He said that the number of the poor families was double that of last year because a number of poor families, mostly illegally, moved from neighbour provinces to resettle in Vientiane province.

However, he said that the current efforts by the authorities in the province was relatively progressive as more market oriented production as well as the stoppage of slash-and-burn cultivation was increasingly promoted.

Mr. Khammeung said that there are 76 projects, totally worth over 169.6 billion kip, of poverty reduction.

The 3rd Congress of Political Grassroots and Inclusive Rural Development was under the chairmanship of Vice President Mr. Bounnhang Vorachit.