Trung Lương-Mỹ Thuận expressway. — VNA/VNS Photo Hữu Chí

HÀ NỘI — With a record-high investment budget of nearly VNĐ90 trillion (US$3.54 billion) for 2025, the Ministry of Transport (MoT) is intensifying efforts to ensure effective fund allocation and disbursement.

As outlined in its recently released 2025 programme on thrift practice and wastefulness prevention, the ministry has emphasised prioritising resources for critical infrastructure development.

The ministry is focusing on allocating capital efficiently to key national programmes, projects of strategic importance and transport networks connecting provinces, regions and international trade hubs.

At the same time, it is conducting a thorough review to eliminate inefficient or non-essential projects, channelling funds into priority initiatives that drive sustainable and rapid economic growth.

A major focus is expediting the implementation of public investment projects, ensuring the swift completion and use of long-delayed infrastructure projects to avoid resource wastage.

Along with enhancing the efficiency of public investment management, the ministry is optimising mechanisms to absorb investment capital effectively.

According to the MoT's Department of Planning and Investment, the 2025 budget for the ministry is VNĐ81.2 trillion ($3.34 billion), with VNĐ71.3 trillion ($2.93 billion) allocated from the 2025 budget and an additional VNĐ9.4 trillion ($390 million) from surplus funds saved in 2022.

Minister of Transport Trần Hồng Minh acknowledged the challenge of efficiently managing this substantial budget but highlighted it as an opportunity to complete essential transport infrastructure projects, laying the groundwork for national economic development.

The ministry has instructed project management units and contractors to maximise resources, take advantage of favourable weather conditions to expedite construction, and work closely with local authorities to address land clearance, resettlement, and technical infrastructure relocation.

It is also requiring detailed monthly disbursement plans for all projects, with strict monitoring to ensure capital is reallocated from slow-moving projects to those with faster implementation progress.

To achieve the national goal of completing 3,000km of expressways by 2025, Minister Minh has called for accelerated progress on the North-South Expressway (Eastern part). The ministry is also prioritising investment approvals for key projects such as HCM City - Trung Lương - Mỹ Thuận, HCM City - Long Thành - Dầu Giây, Yên Bái - Lào Cai, Thái Nguyên - Chợ Mới, Hà Nội - Thái Nguyên, Cầu Giẽ - Ninh Bình, Pháp Vân - Cầu Giẽ, Cam Lộ - La Sơn, La Sơn - Túy Loan and Mỹ An - Cao Lãnh.

Meanwhile, the Đồng Đăng - Trà Lĩnh Expressway project is receiving special attention, with the ministry assisting northern Lạng Sơn and Cao Bằng provinces in expediting investment procedures for phase two to maximise project benefits. — BIZHUB/ VNS