On August 19, the National Assembly discussed in groups the direction of building the draft Law on State Budget (integrated) and the integration of 4 national target programs into 1 national target program.
Politburo Member, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung gave opinions on the integration of 4 national target programs into 1 national target program.
The Prime Minister said that through studying the process of implementing sustainable poverty reduction programs, building new rural areas, and socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, the Government realizes that the current integrated and combined mechanism has not yet ensured comprehensiveness, synchronicity and comprehensiveness.
Meanwhile, the National Assembly has issued additional resolutions related to programs on culture, education, health, and drug prevention and control.
The Prime Minister said that if it continues to be implemented according to the current mechanism, it is likely that it will not be effective and will not fully achieve the goals set by the National Assembly.
Therefore, the Government has boldly proposed integrating programs to overcome the situation of fragmented resources, many focal points, and large implementation organization costs, but the effectiveness is not commensurate.
Prime Minister Le Minh Hung emphasized that integrating programs does not mean changing goals. Integration cannot change or narrow down the goals that the National Assembly has approved.
The objectives in the National Assembly's resolutions must be ensured throughout, but tasks need to be restructured so as not to be duplicated, not to be wasted, and to put resources in the right places needed; and at the same time reduce focal points, procedures, documents and guiding processes.
According to the Prime Minister, integrating programs does not mean that all provinces and cities must fully implement all the same task groups.
Based on the framework of objectives and general criteria, localities must be decentralized to decide on prioritizing investment in which fields are suitable for practical needs. This is the responsibility of People's Councils at all levels; while ministries and sectors implement inspection, supervision and post-inspection.
The Prime Minister cited an example, it is impossible to let the situation occur where a locality has basically met the needs for education but still has to continue building schools, or has enough medical facilities but still has to continue investing in healthcare just because the program structure is rigidly regulated.
Most importantly, according to Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, resources must go to the right goals and practical requirements of localities, especially provinces that are still facing difficulties; in which priority is given to ethnic minority areas, mountainous areas, remote and isolated areas, border areas, and islands.
The head of the Government analyzed that in the medium-term public investment plan, the State still has to focus on investing in growth poles, completing strategic infrastructure to create development momentum and increase revenue.
Meanwhile, national target programs are tools to regulate national resources, solve social problems and difficulties in vulnerable areas.
Prime Minister Le Minh Hung said that if the National Assembly agrees with the policy of integration, the Government will issue regulations to implement it in the direction of unifying processes and procedures; minimizing the need to look up many different documents.
Prime Minister Le Minh Hung wished the National Assembly deputies to support the policy of integration to improve the effectiveness of national target programs, putting resources right into the issues that people in difficult areas really need; and also said that this is also a proposal from many localities to improve overall efficiency in implementation.
