Ministry of Industry and Trade needs to tighten flood discharge procedures of hydropower plants

(Baonghean.vn) - Not afraid to go straight to the "hot" issues that are of public concern such as 5 large-scale projects worth 30,000 billion VND that are losing money and causing waste, the explanation of Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh received the welcome of National Assembly delegates, but some contents are still considered "unsatisfactory".

Answering questions this morning (November 3) about 5 large projects with a scale of more than 30,000 billion VND that have been continuously losing money, causing public outrage, the Minister of Industry and Trade admitted: "Not only these 5 projects but also a number of other projects still have potential risks and remaining problems. If not resolved promptly, they will likely fall into a state of inefficiency, causing the risk of losing investment capital from State resources and from social resources."

Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh explains to the National Assembly, morning of November 3.

Mr. Tran Tuan Anh said that the Ministry of Industry and Trade was directed to coordinate with ministries and branches to synthesize, review, evaluate, and thoroughly and comprehensively inspect all existing problems of these projects and have a specific report to the Government.

In particular, the Ministry will have to explain to the Government the roles and responsibilities of management levels as well as investors; clarify the responsibilities of all relevant individuals and units in order to have measures for consideration and handling.

In fact, recently, a number of projects have had the participation of relevant ministries, branches and functional agencies such as the Dinh Vu Fiber Project or the Ethanol Project which have been inspected by the Government Inspectorate, and are now at the conclusion stage, about to be approved by the Prime Minister and will have further instructions.

Meanwhile, for the Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel Project and Ninh Binh Fertilizer Plant, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is conducting inspections, with results coming soon and will report to the Prime Minister on a definitive solution that meets the 5 guiding principles of the Government and will fully report to the National Assembly.

The head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade said that these 5 projects have shown shortcomings and loopholes in State management, especially in terms of legal framework as well as institutional aspects, from the roles and responsibilities of the ministries in charge, the ministries in charge of finance, and the approval of investment procedures.

"We do not even rule out intentional violations of state laws in the management and operation of investment activities at state-owned enterprises," Mr. Tran Tuan Anh noted.

Welcoming the frankness of the Minister of Industry and Trade, delegate Truong Trong Nghia (Ho Chi Minh City) also suggested that the Government should soon make a list of loss-making projects in addition to the 5 projects mentioned.

This delegate said: "If we only lose a few billion every day, or fifty or seventy billion every year, not even a thousand billion as some factories have mentioned, then the total will be a very large number. Meanwhile, in remote areas, tens of millions of poor people are in dire need of the funds wasted on the above projects."

In addition, answering questions from National Assembly delegates, Minister Tran Tuan Anh also mentioned the issue of operating hydropower projects and stabilizing the lives of people in the areas where hydropower projects are built. However, the explanations of the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade did not satisfy the delegates.

Delegate Nguyen Thai Hoc (Phu Yen) said that currently, the water storage and flood discharge of hydroelectric projects are considered not to be in accordance with regulations. In particular, the current floods in the Central region show that it is necessary to review the flood discharge operations of hydroelectric projects to see if they are in accordance with regulations and the law.

"I think the Minister's statement that hydropower plants have been operating in accordance with procedures and laws in the past is not satisfactory. I request the Minister to discuss more clearly," this delegate questioned.

In addition, with the assumption that currently many people in the hydropower area are poor, accounting for 50%, 60% and in some places 80%, delegate Nguyen Thai Hoc said that the answer of the Minister of Industry and Trade that "the lives of people in the resettlement areas of hydropower projects are guaranteed" is not satisfactory.

Therefore, the delegate of Phu Yen province suggested that the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade should pay attention and have an operational plan to meet the living standards of people in the hydropower area./.

Duong Gim