Comments on regulations on allocating state budget capital for ethnic minority and mountainous areas of Nghe An province

On the morning of June 20, under the chairmanship of Comrade Lo Thi Kim Ngan - Head of the Ethnic Committee of the Provincial People's Council, the Ethnic Committee of the Provincial People's Council held a session to review draft Resolutions and reports to be submitted to the 7th session of the 18th Provincial People's Council.

Attending the review session were comrade Nguyen Nhu Khoi - Member of the Provincial Party Executive Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council.

Scene of the interrogation session. Photo: Thanh Le

At the meeting, the Ethnic Committee of the Provincial People's Council reviewed the Draft Resolution on the principles, criteria, and norms for allocating state budget capital to implement the National Target Program on socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas of Nghe An province for the period 2021-2030; Phase I from 2021-2025.

Commenting on this content, delegates said that the allocation principle needs to ensure correct content, correct objects, ensuring democracy, fairness in regions and types of objects.

Deputy Head of the Provincial Ethnic Minorities Committee Luong Van Khanh reports on the Draft Resolutions. Photo: Thanh Le

According to comrade Nguyen Van Hai - Secretary of Tuong Duong District Party Committee, the principle of capital allocation requires standards for essential items and types of construction works; standards should be applied to essential construction works based on the location, terrain, and geology of each region and must be suitable to reality.

In addition to the provincial budget matching 10% of the total central budget to support the implementation of programs, the Draft Resolution should supplement the mobilization of counterpart funds from district and local levels, mobilize people's strength and other legal capital sources.

Comrade Nguyen Van Hai - Secretary of Tuong Duong District Party Committee said: The principle of capital allocation needs to have standards for essential items and types of construction works. Photo: Thanh Le

Some opinions said that the Draft Resolution should allocate more funds to organize meetings with prestigious people in ethnic minority and mountainous areas; should unify management costs of departments and branches; and need to clarify the principles of capital allocation.

Regarding the allocation of capital, Mr. Phan Van Hoan - Deputy Director of the Department of Planning and Investment suggested: Based on the principles, criteria, and allocation norms, there must be flexibility in allocating capital for sub-projects. Accordingly, it is necessary to review and prioritize increasing capital for urgent projects, items, and sub-projects and adjusting and reducing capital for non-urgent project items and sub-projects.

Comrade Nguyen Viet Hung - Deputy Director of the Department of Finance clarified issues of concern to delegates regarding capital allocation. Photo: Thanh Le

Regarding the Draft Resolution on the plan for the National Target Program on socio-economic development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas for the period 2021-2025 and 2022, Nghe An province sets a target for the period 2022-2025 to strive for the poverty rate in ethnic minority and mountainous areas to decrease by 2.5% per year.

By 2025, the rate of communes leaving extremely difficult areas will reach 48.68% (37/76 extremely difficult communes); the rate of villages leaving extremely difficult areas will reach 50% (19/38 extremely difficult villages).

Commenting on the content of this draft Resolution, delegates expressed concerns about the annual reduction of 2.5% in the rate of poor households, which is low compared to the average level set for the 2020-2025 term.

Delegates attending the hearing. Photo: Thanh Le

Concluding the review session, the Head of the Provincial People's Council's Ethnic Committee agreed on the content of the Draft Resolutions; at the same time, requested the drafting agency of the Provincial Ethnic Committee to absorb the delegates' comments to supplement and perfect the content of the Draft Resolutions to submit to the upcoming Provincial People's Council session.

Also this morning, the Ethnic Committee - Provincial People's Council listened to and commented on the report on the results of handling voters' petitions in assigned areas to prepare for the 7th session - Provincial People's Council, term XVIII.