Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng chaired a working session with the leadership of Vĩnh Long Province on May 26. — VNA/VNS Photo

VĨNH LONG — Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng has stressed the need for a major shift in development mindset during his working session with the Standing Board of the Party Committee of Vĩnh Long Province on Tuesday, saying that this a crucial task for the locality at the current stage.

He called on the Mekong Delta province to move from an administrative and service-oriented mindset to a development-creating approach, while renewing leadership and governance methods in a more proactive, creative manner, with officials who dare to think, dare to act and dare to take responsibility.

A report of the provincial Party Committee presented at the meeting showed that Vinh Long’s gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth in the first quarter of 2026 was estimated at 5.3 per cent, with agriculture expanding by 2.9 per cent and services by 9.73 per cent. State budget revenue as of May 15 reached 47.38 per cent of the assigned estimate.

However, growth remained below expectations due to multiple challenges, including declining thermal power output, rising logistics and construction material costs, shortages of sand for land filling, a lack of orders for enterprises, and slow public investment disbursement. To achieve the GRDP growth target of at least 10% for this year, the province has revised its growth scenario, targeting growth rates of 10.92 per cent in the second quarter, 11.27 per cent in the third quarter, and 12 per cent in the fourth quarter.

This year, the province’s public investment plan totals VNĐ13.8 trillion (US$523.8 million), most of which has been allocated. By May 21, disbursement rate had reached 15.16 per cent of the plan. Local authorities are accelerating key projects and focusing on measures such as speeding up site clearance, flexibly reallocating capital, and removing legal and planning bottlenecks for delayed projects.

Regarding the operation of the two-tier local administration model, the provincial People’s Committee said more than 120 important documents have been issued to realise policies, while administrative reform has been strongly promoted. All administrative procedures are now available online, with an on-time settlement rate of over 96 per cent at the grassroots level.

In his concluding remarks, the PM praised the efforts of the Party organisation, authorities and people of Vĩnh Long in maintaining socio-political stability, ensuring defence and security, and recording positive socio-economic results despite many challenges.

Nevertheless, he noted that current growth was not yet sustainable, with first-quarter growth lower than the national average and below the planned scenario. Agricultural production remained fragmented and small-scale, while investment attraction in high-tech agriculture and processing industries was still weak. Transport and logistics infrastructure also failed to meet development requirements.

The Government leader urged the province to effectively implement the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress and strategic resolutions of the Politburo, while reviewing and adjusting provincial planning in line with the Mekong Delta regional plan.

Stressing that relying mainly on traditional agriculture would not enable rapid growth, he called on Vĩnh Long to establish a new growth model based on its potential and advantages, especially its large population size, while attracting investment in industry and services and developing high-quality human resources.

The province should shift towards a high-value, green and circular agricultural economy, build production-processing-logistics-consumption chains, expand markets for key products, and remove bottlenecks related to planting area codes, quarantine and export standards, he said.

The PM also urged the province to build detailed growth scenarios for each quarter and sector, accelerate transport and logistics infrastructure development, improve the investment environment, promote private sector development, startups, innovation and digital transformation, and ensure the smooth operation of the two-tier local administration system.

The same day, PM Hưng and his entourage offered incense and flowers at the memorial sites dedicated to former Chairman of the Council of Ministers Phạm Hùng and former Prime Minister Võ Văn Kiệt in Vĩnh Long Province. — VNA/VNS