Deputy Prime Minister Trần Lưu Quang speaks at the National Assembly Standing Committee meeting. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

HÀ NỘI — The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on Friday continued its meeting to discuss the Government's report on the results, difficulties, and obstacles in implementing the three national target programmes in the 2021-23 period and proposed specific solutions and mechanisms to overcome these difficulties.

The three target programmes currently being run are about rural development, sustainable poverty reduction, and socio-economic development in mountainous and ethnic minority areas.

The delegates highlighted that the guidance and management of the implementation of the national target programmes on new rural development, socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, and sustainable poverty reduction have been consistent and determined.

However, the implementation is still slow, affecting the allocation, implementation planning, and disbursement of funds.

Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyễn Chí Dũng said the progress of resource allocation and utilisation for the implementation of the national target programmes in 2022, both at the central and local levels, is still slow.

He said that the research, survey, and assessment of the natural, social, and cultural characteristics, as well as the legal framework in the development of national target programmes, especially in ethnic minorities and in mountainous regions, have not been carried out systematically and thoroughly before the issuance of policies and regulations. This has led to some parts of the programmes either being not implemented in reality or lacking the legal basis to be carried out.

The Government proposed to the National Assembly to extend the implementation and disbursement deadline until 31 December 2024, for the State budget funds of the national target programmes that have not been fully disbursed by the end of 2023.

This extension aims to ensure that there are enough resources for localities to continue implementing the activities and objectives of these programmes, Dũng said.

Agreeing with the specialised policies proposed by the Government to address difficulties and obstacles, NA members also emphasised the need to decentralise and enhance the responsibilities of local governments.

Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyễn Đức Hải said that there is a need to change the management approach for these programmes and shift towards increasing local responsibility. This change would involve local authorities taking on a more prominent role in the management and implementation of the programmes.

It is crucial to distinguish between investment and budget support, as well as to streamline procedures to make them more accessible for the public.

In addition to speeding up the disbursement process, suggestions highlighted the importance of improving the quality of disbursements, avoiding situations where disbursements are made in large quantities but do not achieve the desired effectiveness and quality.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Trần Lưu Quang emphasised that the Government is only requesting to shift the funding from 2023 to 2024. As for the funds allocated for 2023, the Government will make every effort to disburse them.

The Government has already urged local authorities to make their best efforts to fully disburse the 2022 budget for the national target programmes. Basically, localities have committed to complete disbursement of the 2022 budget.

Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly Trần Quang Phương proposed that the Government continue to collect opinions from relevant ministries and agencies, conduct impact assessments, and supplement specific principles and criteria for the implementation of these mechanisms. — VNS