PM highlights revolution contributors’ role in turning Việt Nam into a thriving nation

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính meets people who contributed to the national revolution at the event on Tuesday in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has honoured and praised revolution contributors on Tuesday, highlighting their efforts and sacrifices to turn Việt Nam from a war-torn country into a thriving nation today.

Held within the week leading to Việt Nam’s War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27), over 400 people were at the event, individuals and their families who contributed to the national revolutions in wartime, former political prisoners and representatives of martyrs who made significant efforts for the country’s revolutionary cause, protection and development.

A moment of silence was observed in honour of the late Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng and the fallen soldiers who devoted their lives to Việt Nam and its people.

A report presented at the conference showed that the country has identified 9.2 million people who contributed to the revolutions and their relatives, ensuring their benefits as well as social equality and consensus.

Over the past ten years, from 2013 to 2023, a total of nearly VNĐ7.9 trillion (US$311.6 million) has been given nationwide to support families of those who contributed to the revolutions.

Around 67,700 new homes have been built while almost 45,900 others were renovated, at a total cost of more than VNĐ12.7 trillion ($500.9 million).

Revolution contributors and their families also received more than 110,000 saving books totalling VNĐ403 billion ($15.9 million).

Meanwhile, more than 2,400 surviving Vietnamese Heroic Mothers receive care and support.

In addition to maintaining cemeteries and monuments dedicated to deceased revolution contributors, more than 7,000 outstanding records for policy benefits have been handled with over 2,400 martyrs and 2,700 war invalids recognised.

The government has recently issued Decree No 77/2024/NĐ-CP to raise the base allowance for revolution contributors from VNĐ2.05 million ($81) to VNĐ2.79 million ($110), an increase of 35.7 per cent.

As part of a special programme on identifying martyrs’ remains with missing information (Project 150) carried out by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA), more than a thousand martyrs’ remains have been identified and returned to their families.

Speaking at the meeting, PM Chính said that July 27 has become a sacred anniversary with the noble humanitarian spirit of Việt Nam. It is an occasion for the Party and the people to honour and pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for the nation.

Their sacrifice has led to the country’s great achievements of being among the top 40 largest economies in the world, as well as the top 20 nations with the largest global trade scale.

After 40 years of renewal and integration, Việt Nam grew from an embargoed country to having established diplomatic relations with 193 countries, as well as trade and economic relations with 230 countries and territories – becoming a model for healing the wounds of war.

“In the words of Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, with all modesty, we can still say that our country has never enjoyed such fortunes, strength, status and prestige as it has today,” said PM Chính.

The Government leader requested that in the future, all levels and branches of authority continue to implement the directions of the Party and the State’s laws and policies to improve care for war invalids and the families of martyrs and revolution contributors.

MoLISA and related departments must continue working on criteria to correctly recognise revolution contributors and improve their benefits, while also accelerating the search and identification of martyrs’ remains.

The PM also underlined the need to continue mobilising resources from society to pay tribute to revolution contributors and their families, as well as educating the younger generations about the country’s heroic history in diverse and profound ways.

He expressed his hope that revolution contributors across the country maintain their tradition and spirit of independence and resilience, contributing their efforts and intellect and acting as role models for younger people.

PM Chính also attended the launch ceremony for a DNA bank dedicated to identifying martyrs’ remains. — VNS