The challenge would be huge for localities and Government agencies to fully disburse the public investment funds for this year. The government’s task force groups are now working with provinces/cities and ministries to accelerate public investment, seen as an urgent task to ensure economic recovery. The construction of the Eastern North-South expressway, section Phan Thiet - Giau Day. Photo: Phuoc Tuan Data from the Ministry of Finance (MoF) revealed the disbursement of public investment funds in the first five months of 2022 stood at a modest rate of 22.37%, of which the disbursement of domestic funds accounted for 23.53%, and that of foreign capital at 6.26%. The MoF added 41 out of 51 Government ministries and 21 from 63 provinces/cities posted disbursement rates below 20%, including five ministries with no disbursement at all. Meanwhile, localities pointed to unfavorable weather conditions, difficulties in site clearance or rising construction … [Read more...] about Public investment identified as urgent task for economic recovery: Gov’t
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VN determinedly stops slow public investment projects
Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai (first on the left) is investigating the construction site of Provincial Road No.910 in Can Tho City. (Photo: SGGP) The Transport Ministry reported that the land compensation step in the first stage of the mega North-South Expressway project has finished. However, some technical infrastructure has not been fully moved. The total expense for construction until now has reached VND20,087 billion ($867 million), accounting for 35.4 percent of the contract value, and 0.7 percent later than the planned one. The disbursement volume for the four projects to be completed this year is 53.4 percent of the contract value, which is 2.6 percent later than expected. In the Southern region, the 21-kilometer coastal road project from Rach Gia City to Hon Dat District of Kien Giang Province has the total investment of VND600 billion ($26 million), and is planned to complete two years after its commencement date of January 2020. Since the construction work is … [Read more...] about VN determinedly stops slow public investment projects
This year’s economic growth target of 6 percent-6.5 percent huge challenge
Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh speaks at the third session of the 15th National Assembly On the morning of May 23, at the opening session of the third session of the 15th National Assembly, Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh delivered a report on an additional assessment of the results of the implementation of the socio-economic development plan and the state budget in 2021 and that in the first months of 2022. Regarding additional results in 2021, the Government stated that 5/12 targets failed to meet the set goal. For instance, the gross domestic product growth rate reached 2.58 percent compared to the target of about 6 percent. Plus, GDP per capita reached US$3,680 against the target of $3,700, the contribution of total factor productivity to growth is about 37 percent compared with the target of 45 percent-47 percent, and the percentage of poor households with a multidimensional approach decreased by 0.52 percentage points compared to the target of 1-1.5 percentage … [Read more...] about This year’s economic growth target of 6 percent-6.5 percent huge challenge
Lawmakers mull creating fund for cinema development
At the Sunday preparatory session of the National Assembly, while discussing a Cinema Bill, lawmakers considered various ways to fund development of local cinema. A draft of a decree they created said the government would contribute to initially establishing a fund. Then more funding would be raised through voluntary contributions, sponsorships and other sources, it said. Finally, 3 percent would be deducted from ticket sales of foreign movies, 3 percent of film classification fees would be drawn, as would 1 percent of popular movie subscriptions, 0.05 percent of pay-TV subscriptions, 0.5 percent of revenues from advertising on film programs television, and 5 percent of post-audit fee, the decree said. Phan Viet Luong, deputy chairman of the House Committee for Culture and Education, said the fund would support the development of cinema, meeting the aspirations of the industry. Many countries have similar funds, he said. Luong said in the house that his committee is still … [Read more...] about Lawmakers mull creating fund for cinema development
More favourable rule system urged for healthcare PPPs
Speakers at last week’s conference noted that dozens upon dozens of multinationals are interested in the healthcare PPP model in Vietnam. Photo: Chi Cuong At last week’s conference on the issue, hosted by VIR , Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Tran Duy Dong said that Vietnam’s healthcare sector is facing a number of big issues, including rising infectious and non-communicable disease figures, hospital overload, and an ageing population. The pandemic has also revealed some weaknesses in the sector. “To further improve healthcare service quality and meet demand, mobilising financial resources for new development of infrastructure and medical equipment is a key requirement,” he noted. For the past five years, the government has looked to strengthen the implementation of a model for public-private partnerships (PPPs) for the public sector, including in healthcare services. However, according to VIR’s editor-in-chief Le Trong Minh, the picture of such investment in … [Read more...] about More favourable rule system urged for healthcare PPPs
Historic milestone in Vietnam-Laos combat alliance
In 1972, the war situation and victories gained by Lao and Vietnamese forces were the basis for the two countries’ central military commissions to forecast that the enemy would conduct an offensive to recapture the Plain of Jars so as to disintegrate and threaten the liberated zone of Laos. That was what the enemy actually did in an effort to reverse the situation in the Plain of Jars in particular and the Lao theater in general. As a result, the Lao Central Military Commission studied the situation carefully, discussed with the Central Military Commission of Vietnam and agreed with the Vietnamese counterpart to open a defensive campaign in the Plain of Jars. The campaign aimed to destroy an important part of the enemy and change the balance of forces in favor of the Lao revolutionary forces in their political struggle. It also aimed at building the Plain of Jars into a firm revolutionary base in Laos to secure the western flank of Vietnam for the Vietnamese forces to carry out major … [Read more...] about Historic milestone in Vietnam-Laos combat alliance