Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính chairs a national teleconference on Sunday to speed up substandard housing eradication, key transport projects and public investment disbursement. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has requested ministries, sectors and localities to make greater efforts to complete key national projects this year, especially the task of completing 3,000km of expressways.

He was speaking while chairing a national teleconference on Sunday to speed up substandard housing eradication, key transport projects, and public investment disbursement.

The 3-in-1 event, connected with all the 63 provinces and centrally-run cities, included the fifth meeting of the central steering committee for eradicating makeshift and dilapidated houses nationwide, the 18th meeting of the state steering committee for nationally important transport projects, and this year’s second meeting on the acceleration of public investment disbursement.

Reporting on the implementation of key national projects and major transport sector projects, Minister of Construction Trần Hồng Minh said nineteen projects or sub-projects had been so far put into operation.

The total length of the national expressway network increased from 1,327 km to 2,268 km. Terminal T3 at Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport had been completed and brought into use, he said.

He said construction was underway on 52 projects or sub-projects, most of which were progressing in line with the set schedule.

Minister Minh urged localities to review their organisational structures and develop transition plans to avoid disruptions in site clearance and project implementation, especially in the context of ongoing provincial mergers and the restructuring of the two-tier local government system.

The Ministry of Construction and localities had directed project investors and contractors to develop reasonable construction schedules, strengthen manpower, machinery, and equipment, and take measures to overcome adverse weather conditions as the rainy season began, he said.

PM Chính urged ministries, sectors and localities to accelerate the preparation of the feasibility study report for the expansion of the HCM City – Long Thành expressway while completing procedures to commence the Dầu Giây – Tân Phú expressway project and finalising all procedures for the groundbreaking of Component 3 of Hà Nội’s Ring Road No. 4.

He also called for the commencement of the Tân Phú – Bảo Lộc and Bảo Lộc – Liên Khương expressway sections and expediting the drafting and approval of the feasibility study report for the HCM City – Mộc Bài Expressway.

The PM emphasised that these projects were not only critical to improving national infrastructure and connectivity but also to ensuring that public resources would be used efficiently and effectively.

Public investment disbursement

According to Minister of Finance Nguyễn Văn Thắng, Việt Nam disbursed VNĐ264 trillion in public investment during the first half of 2025, equivalent to 32 per cent of the annual plan, higher than the same period last year.

However, as of June 20, nearly VNĐ7.36 trillion remained unallocated in detail by 17 ministries, agencies, and 21 localities. The primary reason for underperformance lies in the organisation and execution of project implementation.

To address these shortcomings, Minister Thắng proposed assigning monthly disbursement targets to each project owner and treating them as a basis for year-end performance evaluation.

He also proposed recognising public investment disbursement as a central political task, requiring heads of ministries, sectors and localities to take responsibility, closely monitor developments, and identify and remove specific obstacles for each delayed project.

During the meeting, representatives of ministries and localities acknowledged that achieving 100 per cent disbursement of public investment by the end of 2025 posed a major challenge, especially amid the ongoing overhaul of the administrative system, including streamlining government operations and transitioning to the two-tier local government model.

A representative of the Hà Nội People’s Committee proposed a reduction in the 2025 Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan capital plan and pledged to use local budget funds to ensure that key projects break ground as scheduled.

Prime Minister Chính tasked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with studying amendments to relevant laws and agreements to simplify ODA loan procedures and expedite project implementation.

He said ODA loans must no longer be scattered and focus on high-speed railways, large seaports and major international airports.

Eliminating dilapidated housing

Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs Đào Ngọc Dung reported that significant progress had been made in the nationwide campaign to eliminate makeshift and dilapidated housing.

As of now, 38 out of 63 localities had fully met their targets, with more than 262,000 homes supported, reaching 94 per cent of the overall goal.

Among these, approximately 41,500 homes were provided for people with meritorious service to the revolution, achieving 93 per cent completion in that category.

Minister Dung expressed strong confidence that the campaign could be completed nationwide by the end of August 2025.

The completion of this effort would not only address critical housing needs but also mark a meaningful achievement in social policy ahead of a major national celebration.

Representatives from northern mountainous provinces reported that recent floods had affected the progress of the national campaign to eliminate makeshift and dilapidated housing.

Despite the challenges, localities affirmed their commitment to completing the programme, particularly for people with meritorious service to the revolution, war invalids, and martyrs’ families, by July 27, ahead of the National War Invalids and Martyrs Day. VNS