The Hanoitimes - As the day for wounded soldiers and martyrs (July 27) approaches, many provinces and cities are carrying out a range of diverse activities to pay tribute to and show their gratitude to martyrs’ families and revolutionary contributors. Nhandan newspaper reported that the northern province of Hai Duong has decided to earmark nearly 20 billion VND to give presents worth 300,000 each to 66,000 wounded soldiers, martyrs’ families and revolutionary contributors. Hai Duong provincial leaders visited and gave presents worth 1.2 million each to 36 outstanding beneficiary families while giving presents worth 5 million VND each to some units which are in charge of caring revolutionary contributors in Bac Ninh, Bac Giang and Hai Duong provinces. The Vietnam Joint-stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade (VietinBank) inaugurated 55 houses of gratitude worth 35 million VND each to martyrs’ families and poor families in 4 districts. In addition, the bank also assisted 1.3 billion VND to build a pre-school and a primary school in two districts and give schooling equipment worth hundreds of VND to pupils. The central province of Nghe An has put aside 80 million VND to visit outstanding revolutionary contributors’ families and transferred the State President’s presents worth 400,000 VND each to Vietnamese heroic mothers, wounded soldiers and martyrs’ relatives. The northern province of Phu Tho has also spent 7.5 billion VND giving presents to beneficiaries, assisted the building of 13 houses of gratitude, and upgraded martyrs’ cemeteries. According to the Ministry of Labour, War-Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA), there are 8.8 million revolutionary contributors, including 1.4 million receiving a monthly allowance. So far over 96% of revolutionary contributors’ families are living above the average standard. NDO |