Addressing challenges in national target programs

The Government Office recently issued Announcement No. 93/TB-VPCP dated March 13, 2024, to summarize the conclusions of Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang, Head of the Central Steering Committee for National Target Programs, at the fifth online session of the Central Steering Committee for National Target Programs from 2021 to 2025. Accordingly, the meeting addressed the implementation progress of national target programs in 2023 and the first two months of 2024, as well as future tasks and key solutions.

The announcement states: In 2023, the National Assembly, the Government, and local governments demonstrated great determination and proactiveness in enhancing legal corridors, institutional mechanisms, and policies to address difficulties, overcome challenges, and accelerate the disbursement of funds for implementing national target programs. Namely, the National Assembly issued 2 Resolutions; the Government and ministries issued 1 Decree, 6 Circulars, and 4 guiding documents; local governments issued new, or amended and supplemented various Resolutions of People's Councils and Decisions of People's Committees at all levels. One notable example includes Resolution No. 111/2024/QH15 detailing mechanisms and policies for implementing national target programs, which was passed by the 15th National Assembly on January 18, 2024, during its extraordinary fifth session.

The disbursement of funds for implementing national target programs has improved significantly, with several notable improvements. Approximately 83% of the investment capital and 36.3% of the assigned business capital have been disbursed. Several local governments have adopted an extensive range of effective, innovative, and flexible approaches assigned detailed responsibilities to departments, sectors, and grassroots levels, and committed to fully disburse the allocated funds in 2024.

On behalf of the Prime Minister and the Central Steering Committee, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang commended the concerted efforts of ministries, central agencies, party committees, governmental bodies at all levels, and the local communities in the implementation of national target programs.

Conversely, the implementation of national target programs are faced with several challenges. Namely, despite the improvements in imbursement rate, the face can face significant pressure in 2024. The rural infrastructure, with the notable example of rural transportation infrastructure in certain region, is exhibiting signs of deterioration without adequate attention for investment, maintenance, and repair due to capital constraints. The corresponding funds from local budgets to implement national target programs are limited due to declines in revenue sources. The capacity and sense of responsibility of local task forces, agencies, and units are unsatisfactory. Several local governments are reluctant to finalize their procedures in qualifying for new rural standards or poverty alleviation. Coordination efforts between various ministries, central agencies, and local governments have been relatively ineffective.

With the aim of achieving every goal and target assigned by the National Assembly, and the commitment to disburse all of the allocated funds in 2024, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang requested ministries, agencies, and local governments to urgently implement relevant Resolutions issued by the National Assembly, Resolutions by the Government, Decisions, Directives, Official Dispatches, and Guidelines by the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and Head of the Central Steering Committee for National Target Programs regarding accelerating the disbursement process, addressing challenges in the implementation of national target programs to improve effectiveness and quality, and encouraging  focused and prioritized investment, to avoid unnecessary losses and waste.

Accordingly, the Deputy Prime Minister requested ministers, heads of central agencies, and chairpersons of local People's Committees to heighten their sense of responsibility, and remain proactive in directing subordinate units to thoroughly study and immediately implement the detailed mechanisms and policies as outlined in Resolution No. 111/2024/QH15 issued by the 15th National Assembly on January 18, 2024. Stakeholders must proactively review, and timely amend or supplement guiding documents, management and organizational regulations for implementing national target programs within their respective authority. Additionally, they must report identified challenges to receive guidance in compliance with the directives of Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang, as outlined in Document No. 1058/VPCP-QHĐP issued by the Government Office on February 19, 2024.

The Ministries of Planning and Investment, Finance, Agriculture and Rural Development, Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs, the Ethnic Minorities Committee, and the State Bank of Vietnam are responsible for responding to proposals made by related local governments regarding the implementation of national target programs and Resolution No. 111/2024/QH15 issued by the 15th National Assembly on January 18, 2024. Accordingly, they must provide detailed and clear guidance to avoid ambiguity or impracticality.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment must urgently coordinate with relevant ministries, agencies, and local governments to incorporate and clarify the opinions of government members, and finalize the draft decree replacing Decree No. 57/2018/ND-CP issued by the Government on April 17, 2018. This Decree detailed mechanisms and policies to encourage businesses to invest in agriculture and rural areas. This collected information must be reported to the Prime Minister in March 2024.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment must urgently coordinate with relevant ministries, agencies, and local governments to assist the Prime Minister in issuing regulations on establishing a national database and an online reporting regime on the monitoring system, evaluating national target programs, and completing the establishment of a monitoring and evaluation system for national target programs in April 2024. Subsequently, the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs and the Ethnic Minorities Committee must promptly develop a management system for each national target program, and complete data interconnection with the MPI's existing system within the second quarter of 2024.

Stakeholders must compile recommendations made by local governments with regards to the process of implementing national target programs and Resolution No. 111/2024/QH15 issued by the 15th National Assembly on January 18, 2024. Subsequently, they must propose detailed solutions, identify the primary facilitator and deadline for reporting to competent authorities as prescribed. This collected information must be reported to the Prime Minister in March 2024.

Stakeholders must review, compile, and propose solutions to address challenges with regards to the assignment and adjustment of objectives and tasks for each national target program under different ministries, sectors, and local governments from 2021 to 2025. This collected information must be reported to the Prime Minister in March 2024.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development must urgently coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and other relevant ministries and agencies to compile differing opinions and finalize the draft decree on a number of investment policies in forestry. This collected information must be reported to the Government in March 2024.

The Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs must urgently coordinate with the Ministries of Finance, Planning and Investment, Justice, and other relevant ministries and agencies to compile differing opinions, and propose solutions to the challenges in identifying low-income workers as beneficiaries of the Sustainable Poverty Reduction National Target Program from 2021 to 2025. This program was approved in Decision No. 90/QD-TTg issued by the Prime Minister on January 18, 2022. This collected information must be reported to the Prime Minister in March 2024.

The Ethnic Minorities Committee must urgently coordinate with relevant ministries, agencies, and local government to proactively prepare and carry out the procedures for amending and supplementing Decision No. 1719/QD-TTg issued by the Prime Minister on October 14, 2021. This Decision targeted investment in the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas from 2021 to 2030. Subsequently, the resulting document must be submitted to the Prime Minister immediately after the 15th National Assembly approves the investment adjustment for the Program, which is expected at the 7th session. This task must be completed by June 2024.

On the other hand, stakeholders must urgently adjust and supplement the list of impoverished villages, and approve the list of villages in ethnic minority and mountainous areas by March 15, 2024.