Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc works with leaders of the Mekong Delta's Bến Tre Province on Thursday in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc on Thursday urged the Mekong Delta province of Bến Tre to work hard to complete yearly targets and tasks, with the local public investment disbursement rate set at at least 90 per cent.
He pointed out difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and drought facing the locality, and its low disbursement rate.
Bến Tre should utilise opportunities from international integration, especially free trade agreements (FTAs) to which Việt Nam is a member like the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), he said.
The PM praised Bến Tre for its high provincial competitiveness index and other indices, and asked the locality to step up administrative reform and improve the local business environment.
More attention should be paid to management of climate change projects, he said, stressing that Bến Tre needs to take a step ahead in digital transformation to pave the way for digital economic development.
PM Phúc agreed in principle on Bến Tre’s mobilisation of resources from different economic sectors in building a transmission line system connected to renewable energy projects in the province.
It was reported that Bến Tre’s socio-economic development has been impacted by COVID-19 and drought.
The pandemic has forced 55 businesses to dissolve and more than 130 others to suspend their operations. As of mid-June, the province had received 6,200 applications for unemployment benefits.
Meanwhile, drought has affected 5,300ha of rice, 28,00ha of fruit trees and 2,000ha of giant river prawns, with total economic losses amounting to VNĐ1.66 trillion (US$71.65 million). — VNS