47,454 poor households and other policy beneficiaries acess inclusive finance in Nghe an province during first six months

Reporter: Sir, in the context of many difficulties and challenges, what outstanding results has the Social Policy Bank of Nghe An Branch achieved in the first six months of 2026?

Mr. Hoang Xuan Thuy:The first six months of 2026 unfolded amidst numerous factors impacting policy credit activities. However, with the leadership and guidance of the General Director of the Social Policy Bank, the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People's Council, the Provincial People's Committee, the Board of Directors at all levels, and the close coordination of departments, agencies, local authorities, and entrusted socio-political organizations, the Branch proactively implemented comprehensive solutions and fully achieved the set goals and plans.

A highlight of the first six months of the year was the continued effective implementation of advisory work. From the beginning of the year, the Branch advised the Provincial People's Committee to allocate 513 billion VND of local budget funds to the Social Policy Bank, achieving 102.6% of the annual plan; and simultaneously advised on the timely implementation of new mechanisms and policies from the Central and provincial governments regarding social policy credit. In particular, after implementing the two-tiered local government model, all 130 communes and wards in the area have established Commune-level Boards of Directors and are gradually operating stably, creating an important foundation for improving the efficiency of managing social policy credit funds at the grassroots level.

Alongside this, leadership and management have been reformed towards a more decisive, flexible, and practical approach. The branch regularly reviews capital needs, adjusts credit targets among units, reorganizes geographical areas and transaction points to suit new conditions, and promotes digital transformation in management and operations. Many new solutions, such as piloting disbursement through payment accounts, developing management and operational support applications, and conducting inspections and monitoring, have yielded practical results, contributing to improved service quality for the public and the overall efficiency of the branch.

Reporter: One of the highlights of the Branch in the first six months of the year was the growth in credit and the improvement in the quality of policy-based credit. Could you elaborate on these outstanding results, as well as the significance of policy-based credit flows for poverty reduction, job creation, and social security in the province?

Mr. Hoang Xuan Thuy:It can be affirmed that policy credit activities continued to be a highlight of the Branch in the first six months of 2026. We always prioritize credit growth while simultaneously improving the quality and efficiency of capital utilization, ensuring that preferential capital reaches the right target groups, meets the right needs, and yields practical results.

By June 30, 2026, the branch's total capital reached VND 16,850 billion, an increase of VND 1,875 billion compared to the beginning of the year, representing a growth rate of 12.5%. Notably, entrusted local budget capital reached VND 1,223 billion, an increase of over VND 513 billion, achieving 171.1% of the assigned plan. This is a very positive result, demonstrating the attention of the provincial Party committee and government to policy credit, and creating additional resources to support the poor and policy beneficiaries in developing production and stabilizing their lives.

Disbursement activities were implemented promptly, meeting the capital needs of the people. Loan volume reached VND 3,588 billion, an increase of 41.3% compared to the same period last year - the highest increase ever. Total outstanding loans reached VND 16,831 billion, an increase of VND 1,870 billion compared to the beginning of the year, also the highest growth rate in the first 6 months of the year for the Branch.

Most importantly, policy credit capital has brought about significant social benefits. In the first six months of the year, the branch disbursed loans to 47,454 poor households and other policy beneficiaries to develop production, business, and improve their living standards. This capital has contributed to creating jobs for over 11,300 workers; supporting nearly 19,400 households in building and renovating over 38,000 rural water supply and sanitation projects; enabling hundreds of households to access social housing; supporting disadvantaged students to continue their studies; assisting workers to work abroad; and facilitating the reintegration of former prisoners and those recovering from drug addiction into the community.

These figures not only reflect growth but also demonstrate the effectiveness of preferential credit policies in achieving sustainable poverty reduction, creating livelihoods, ensuring social security, and promoting economic development in rural and mountainous areas. It can be said that wherever policy-based credit is effectively implemented, people have more opportunities to improve their economic situation, stabilize their lives, and reduce the risk of falling back into poverty.

Reporter: Besides achieving credit growth, the branch is also accelerating digital transformation and improving governance quality. How effective have these innovations been in the bank's operations and in serving the public?

Mr. Hoang Xuan Thuy:We believe that digital transformation is not only an inevitable trend but also a crucial solution for improving the quality of governance, administration, and service to the people.

Over the past period, the Branch has effectively operated the operational systems of the Social Policy Bank, while proactively researching and developing many applications to serve management and operation, such as the credit management dashboard, a web app for creating customer profiles, and a set of tools for controlling operational errors; simultaneously, it has experimented with digitizing customer records and applying artificial intelligence to support operations. These solutions have contributed to shortening processing time, increasing labor productivity, enhancing remote inspection and supervision, and reducing errors in the performance of tasks.

A notable new development is that the branch has piloted disbursement through payment accounts at commune-level transaction points. Initially, this model has received the approval of the people, contributing to reducing the pressure of using cash, shortening transaction time, and gradually forming a habit of cashless payment in rural areas.

In addition, we continue to maintain a network of 412 safe and efficient transaction points at the commune level; improving the operational quality of more than 5,600 Savings and Loan Groups, considering them as an "extended arm" bringing policy credit directly to the people. The combination of digital transformation with a widespread transaction network will help improve service quality while ensuring transparency, openness, and security in the implementation of policy credit.

Reporter: To achieve the 2026 targets, especially to further improve the quality of policy credit in the new phase, what key tasks and solutions will the Branch focus on implementing in the last six months of the year?

Mr. Hoang Xuan Thuy:In the final months of the year, the Branch will continue to closely follow the directives of the Central Government and the province, focusing on implementing comprehensive solutions to fully achieve all targets and tasks for 2026. The primary focus will be on continuing to advise local Party committees and authorities on effectively implementing Directive No. 39 of the Party Central Committee, Decree No. 06 of the Government, and the province's policy credit development plan, especially mobilizing additional local budget funds to supplement lending resources for the poor and other policy beneficiaries.

In addition, the Branch will flexibly manage the credit plan, closely monitoring the capital needs of each locality and each program, ensuring quick disbursement to the right recipients, preventing capital stagnation, and continuing to improve credit quality by shifting strongly from risk management to proactive risk prevention. This will be a continuous task throughout the entire system.

We will also promote digital transformation, develop technological utilities, expand cashless payments, and enhance the application of artificial intelligence in governance and administration; while continuing to strengthen the operational quality of commune transaction points and savings and loan groups, improve the effectiveness of inspection and supervision, and promote the role of entrusted socio-political organizations.

With the attention of Party committees and authorities at all levels, the close coordination of various sectors and socio-political organizations, and the consensus of the people, we believe that policy credit will continue to play its role as one of the important tools of the Party and State in achieving the goals of sustainable poverty reduction, building new rural areas, ensuring social security, and promoting socio-economic development in Nghe An province.

Reporter: Thank you, sir!

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