HÀ NỘI — The National Assembly this morning passed a resolution on socio-economic development plan for the year 2018 with 84.93 per cent of the deputies voting yes.

The key targets of the plan include aiming for year-on-year GDP growth of 6.5-6.7 per cent, the same as 2017’s target; increasing exports by 7-8 per cent; keeping trade deficit to below three per cent of total export revenue; maintaining Consumer Price Index at monthly average of four per cent; and making sure total investment for social development accounts for 33-34 per cent of GDP.

Further, according to the plan, the rate of poor households according to the "multi-dimensional poverty line" will be reduced by 1-3 per cent, while the unemployment rate in urban areas will be less than four per cent. As much as 85.2 per cent of the population will be covered by health insurance, a modest rise from the 82.1 per cent recorded in June this year. The ratio of trained workers is expected to reach 58-60 per cent of the country’s workforce.

Environmental targets include ensuring 88 per cent of all manufacturing zones and industrial parks are outfitted with up-to-standard water treatment facility and pushing up forest coverage to 41.6 per cent.

To realise the aforementioned goals, the National Assembly asked the Government, the Supreme People’s Court, the People’s Supreme Procuracy and the State Audit Office to implement measures to safeguard macro-economic stability; encourage and support start-ups, innovative businesses and small-and-medium businesses; restructure the agriculture sector; develop the processing and manufacturing industries; and address production and accommodation land for ethnic minority groups.

These tasks will be carried out in tandem with promoting sales of domestically made products, preventing smuggling, tightening management of natural resources and environmental protection and addressing the threats of climate change and natural disasters, as well as implementing education and training reforms, and ensuring efficient diplomatic works and international integration.

Relevant agencies have been asked to make more committed efforts in the fight against corruption and wastage, as well as in improving State management of the press and safeguarding national sovereignty and social order. — VNS