Deputy Prime Minister Lê Minh Khái delivers a speech at the meeting with working group No1 on promoting disbursement of public investment capital on Monday. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Deputy Prime Minister Lê Minh Khái has demanded the leaders of localities and agencies to take responsibility for the slow disbursement of public investment capital, which has had impacts on the growth rate and liquidity of the economy.

He was speaking on Monday at a meeting with the working group No.1 to promote the disbursement of public investment capital.

Reports on the capital allocation and disbursement situation of five localities under the supervision of the working group No.1 showed that the total State budget investment plan for 2023 assigned by the Prime Minister was more than VNĐ92.9 trillion (US$3.95 billion).

So far, 98.8 per cent of this plan has been allocated. Among them, four localities, namely Trà Vinh, Vĩnh Long, Sóc Trăng, and An Giang, have allocated 100 per cent of the funds.

Meanwhile, due to incomplete investment procedures, HCM City has not been allocated VNĐ296 billion, accounting for 1.93 per cent of the total funds assigned by the Prime Minister. The money, taken from the socio-economic recovery and development programme, was supposed to serve projects of constructing, upgrading, renovating, and purchasing medical equipment for 146 communal medical centres.

However, the Ministry of Finance reported that the total disbursement of the five localities by the end of this March was over VNĐ2.5 trillion, reaching only 2.74 per cent of the plan, much lower than the national average of 10.35 per cent of the plan.

Among them, Trà Vinh, Vĩnh Long, Sóc Trăng, and An Giang have disbursed over 5 per cent while HCM City has disbursed a very low amount, only 0.89 per cent.

Leaders of the localities explained the reasons for the slow disbursement, such as poor investment and project preparation, insufficient attention to compensation and site clearance, and inadequate cooperation among agencies to resolve difficulties and obstacles.

They committed to striving for the full disbursement of the public investment plan assigned for this year. Trà Vinh committed to disburse over 98 per cent of the plan, and Vĩnh Long committed to disburse 100 per cent of the central budget plan and 95 per cent of the local budget plan.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy PM Khái emphasised that the Public Investment Law, the mid-term five-year public investment plan approved by the National Assembly, and the allocation and approval of investment decisions by the Prime Minister are already in place.

Therefore, the remaining tasks, such as project approval procedures and bidding plans, must be implemented by localities.

He said the slow disbursement of public investment capital has a negative impact on the economy, and the timely and effective disbursement of capital is necessary to promote economic growth and development.

He stressed the role of the head of the localities, and said there is a need for regular checks, follow-ups, and reviews of each specific project to promptly address any difficulties and problems. — VNS