HCM CITY – Deputy Prime Minister Vương Đình Huệ has urged HCM City to accelerate the equitisation of State-owned enterprises (SOEs) to ensure that an SOE plan approved by the Prime Minister is completed by 2018.

In his report after a working visit to HCM City in late May, Huệ said the city should continue to amend its SOE restructuring plan in accordance with the Decision No 37/2014/QĐ-TTg in June 2014 which gives details about criteria for classifying SOEs. 

The main purpose of Decision 37 was to reduce the number of sectors where the State is required to be a majority or sole shareholder and to encourage private investment.

In particular, all SOEs in the city must be restructured so that the Government’s stake will be reduced to a low level or zero when they are equitised.

Huệ also asked the city to complete a master plan on the restructuring of agricultural and forestry companies under the municipal administration and submit the plan to the Government for approval.

He urged the city to identify the public service agencies which could qualify for equitisation.

Eligible units would then be submitted to the Prime Minister for approval and equitised in accordance with the Government’s Decision No 22/2015/QĐ-TTg on transformation of public non-business units.   

Huệ stressed the need for the city to seriously implement financial autonomy policies at local public service units.       

In addition, the Deputy Prime Minister told the city government to outline a comprehensive plan for implementation of Resolution No 35/NQ-CP.

This new policy issued on May 16 concerns the support and development of enterprises by 2020. It emphasises the city’s role in stimulating and promoting business development.

Kiên Giang tasks

In his report on the recent working visit to the Cửu Long (Mekong) province of Kiên Giang, Huệ asked the provincial leaders to develop projects that would store fresh water and prevent saltwater intrusion.

This would ensure clean water supplies for production activities and people’s daily demand.

Huệ said the province’s residents must be educated about the adverse effects of saltwater intrusion and the need to save fresh water.

They also must be made aware of the importance of adapting to climate change by restructuring the breeding and raising of animals and plants.

The deputy PM also asked Kiên Giang authorities to identify saltwater intrusion management projects that should be given investment priorities, putting them on a list to call for capital support from the Government.

He advised Kiên Giang to adjust the province’s existing land-use plans, construction projects and tourism products in accordance with climate change.    

Huệ also directed the Ministry of Planning and Investment to work with the ministries of Finance and Agriculture and Rural Development to gather proposals from Kiên Giang and other localities to report to the Prime Minister. — VNS