NA Standing Committee urges faster implementation of support package for recovery

The National Assembly Standing Committee had a session on Saturday on the progress of the socio-economic recovery and stimulus programme. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

HÀ NỘI — The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on Saturday morning gave opinions on the implementation and capital allocation for tasks and projects under the programme on socio-economic recovery and development.

Under the chair of NA Chairman Vương Đình Huệ, the discussion focused on the tentative portfolio and level of capital to be allocated for tasks and projects; plans to use the budget revenue from increased collection and saved costs; and the remaining funds of the central budget in 2021.

Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyễn Chí Dũng presented a report of the Government on the implementation of the programme on socio-economic recovery and development.

The meeting also heard a report presented by Chairman of the NA Finance – Budget Committee Nguyễn Phú Cường on the Government’s report.

NA Chairman Huệ said the NA Standing Committee valued and welcomed the Government’s submission of these issues.

He said Resolution No. 43/2022/QH15 on recovery for 2022 and 2023 was issued during an extraordinary meeting of the parliament but after five months, the Government has not had a detailed portfolio of the projects that will draw budget from the programme, so that the NA can give its feedback, which undermines effectiveness of the stimulus.

The top legislator urged the Government to assess the cause of the delay, to soon have concrete results from this important policy package.

The NA Standing Committee requested the Government to promptly announce the remaining capital, including VNĐ14 trillion (US$603.6 million) for the field of health infrastructure; VNĐ11.83 trillion for other infrastructure projects so that ministries, central agencies and localities have grounds to speed up the progress of investment procedures.

The Government needs to direct and urge ministries, and central and local agencies to quickly complete investment procedures in accordance with regulations so that the Government can complete the portfolio and report to the NA Standing Committee for comments before allocating capital, Hue said.

The NA Standing Committee also agreed with the Government’s proposal to spend VNĐ9.62 billion out of the VNĐ176-trillion package set out in Resolution No. 43/2022/QH15 to allocate capital for three expressway projects in the portfolio of national important projects: the first phase of Châu Đốc-Cần Thơ-Sóc Trăng Expressway, first phase of Khánh Hoà-Buôn Ma Thuột Expressway, and first phase of Biên Hoà-Vũng Tàu Expressway – to submit to the NA for consideration at the ongoing 3rd plenary session. — VNS