HCMC – The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs has called on 23 localities which are practicing social distancing under the prime minister’s Directive 16 to reduce the water and electricity prices for workers affected by the pandemic or exempt them from paying.
The 23 localities comprise HCMC, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Can Tho and 15 other southern provinces, Hanoi and three central localities—Danang, Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa, the local media reported.
The ministry also asked these localities to talk the owners of boarding houses into reducing room rentals for disadvantaged laborers.
Localities should take the initiative to support the food expenses of the underprivileged, at least VND50,000 each per day, provide essential commodities to people under social protection and mobilize organizations to supply food and essential foods to residents in areas under lockdown.
As for residents wanting to return to their hometowns, localities must coordinate with the governments of their hometowns to prepare vehicles to transport them to their hometowns, provide them with food and drinking water and quarantine them in line with regulations.
On August 16, the prime minister allowed 4,000 tons of rice from the national rice reserves to be used and offered as relief aid to pandemic-hit residents in Binh Phuoc, Bac Lieu and Soc Trang provinces. Specifically, Binh Phuoc would receive nearly 560 tons, Bac Lieu nearly 637 tons and Soc Trang over 2,900 tons.
The Ministries of Finance and Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs must take responsibility for the information and data of residents receiving the rice, while the three provinces must hand over the rice to the relevant residents.
