An extremely disadvantaged border district in Son La province, Sop Cop has 101 hamlets and two residential sites. It is home to six ethnic groups, of them ethnic minorities accounting for 96.8%. In the 2019-2024 period, with the capital from the national target programmes and support policies of the province, the district has invested in building synchronous infrastructure in ethnic minority-inhabited areas.

It has completed infrastructure construction in three residential areas in Muong Lan and Pung Banh communes hit by natural disasters; and built, repaired and upgraded over 80 traffic, irrigation, water and electricity works, schools and classrooms.

All of its eight communes now have roads to the commune centre, 68.3% of hamlets have cemented or asphalted roads, 97.61% of households have access to the national power grid, and 99% of them to hygienic water.

Meanwhile, all communes have received capital for the construction of schools and medical facilities. Thousands of poor and near-poor households have obtained concessional loans for production and business.

At the same time, the district has mobilised resources to remove makeshift houses for 496 households. Its poverty rate is expected to drop from 40.38% in 2019 to 30.28% this year.

The congress set out a number of key targets until 2029, such as striving for Pung Banh commune to meet new-style rural standards, cutting the poverty rate by 4-5% per year, and raising the number of the families of culture to 70%. Besides, one commune and 12 hamlets are expected to get rid of the extremely difficult circumstances, and all of the extremely disadvantaged hamlets have cemented or asphalted roads.

 Outstanding individuals receive the certificates of merit from the provincial People’s Committee  A representative of the provincial committee for ethnic minority affairs presents the certificates of merit to outstanding individuals.  A district leader presents the certificates of merit to outstanding individuals.