Mr. Phuc made the request after a meeting with nearly 1,000 workers at industrial zones in northern Vietnam's Red River Delta and listen to their concerns during a dialogue in the northern province of Ha Nam yesterday.
Hanoi's Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung said in reality Hanoi has built some block of social houses for workers in Dong Anh District, it has not met increasing demand.
Subsequently, more social condominiums will be built in industrial parks Bac Thang Long and Quang Minh. Each apartment will be priced at VND200 million – VND400 million ($8,781 - $17,563) with the minimum area of 35 square meter.
Worker Pham Thi Khuyen from Canon Vietnam in Bac Thanh Long park said that her income is VND5 million monthly; accordingly she is facing many difficulties in buying a house.
Because a few social houses and kindergartens were built, many workers have no choice but rent a house outside the park and send their kids to private schools; as a result, they have to pay more for rental fee and tuition fee, she said.
After meeting with the workers, PM Phuc made a trip to rental houses in Bach Thuong Commune. Landlord is a veteran who built many boarding houses for workers with rent of a room for four people is worth VND1 million a month.
According to Mr. Phuc, initially, if the government has not built social houses for workers, it should build boarding houses with suitable rents. He added the government and the Party pay much attention to houses and schools for workers.
Before, PM Phuc had meetings with workers in the southern province of Dong Nai and in the central city of Da Nang. He said “At the two meetings, I ordered relevant agencies and local administration to focus on building social houses for workers and kindergartens for their kids."
So far, it has gained achievements in these provinces thanks to many related department and governments’ contributions. However, it has not met workers’ increasing demand and the government’s expectation.
Also at the meeting, workers complained that they had to pay a very high electricity rate set by house landlord.
Female worker Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen moaned that her receives income of VND4 million – 4.5 million ($175.6 - $197.5) per month but she has to pay VND1 million – 1.5 million for house rent and electricity price of VND3,000 per kWh and water price of VND8,000-10,000 for a cubic meter.
As tenants in outside boarding houses are bearing brunt of price hike, Huyen expected to pay lower electricity and water price.
Agreed with the worker, PM Phuc said the payment was too expensive for workers.
Chairman of The Electricity of Vietnam Group Duong Quang Thanh who accompanied with the PM also said that prices of water and energy for workers are listed in daily activities caterogy, not in listed in business activities.
If landlords collect the fees from workers living boarding houses higher than that for daily activities, they violate the regulations on electricity prices.
Mr. Thanh promised to check it and report to the Ministry of Industry and Trade later.
