7th Session, Nghe An Provincial People's Council: 'Hot' issues related to the field of Planning and Investment were questioned and answered with focus and quality

Panorama of the 7th Session, Nghe An Provincial People's Council, 18th term. Photo: Thanh Cuong

REDUCE PROCEDURES, DO NOT LET "SUBSIDIARY LICENSES" CREATE

Regarding the content of questioning on the results of implementing Resolution No. 11/NQ-CP dated January 30, 2022 of the Government on the Socio-Economic Recovery and Development Program and implementing Resolution No. 43/2022/QH15 of the National Assembly on fiscal and monetary policies to support the Socio-Economic Recovery and Development Program and social security work, 10 delegates of the Provincial People's Council asked questions, focusing on many related contents, especially solving difficulties for people and businesses in production and business, as well as accelerating the disbursement of public investment capital.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Nguyen Nhu Khoi presided over the question and answer session related to the contents of socio-economic recovery and development. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Accordingly, delegate Nguyen Ky Hong, Que Phong district delegation, proposed solutions to solve difficulties in implementing investment and business procedures for people and businesses.

Regarding this content, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Duc - Director of the Department of Planning and Investment said the solutions in the coming time. Accordingly, all levels and sectors need to continue to review administrative procedures to reduce and strictly control new administrative procedures, not to issue or require enterprises and investors to carry out procedures not included in the regulations to avoid sub-licenses and additional procedures.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Duc also said: The Provincial People's Committee has clearly directed this content, and has made it public on the website of the province, departments, and branches; at the same time, the Provincial People's Committee has brought in the Public Administration Service Center to monitor it.

Along with that, continue to improve the quality of the staff and civil servants to perform tasks in job positions to handle procedures for people and businesses; especially those who must have ethics, knowledge, and proper attitudes.

Delegate Nguyen Ky Hong, Que Phong District Delegate Group, speaks during the questioning session. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Strengthening the application of information technology in direction and management. Accordingly, up to now, leaders of the Provincial People's Committee have been able to look up where project files are located, and which specialist, sector, or department is involved in the problem.

Promote the assessment of competitiveness at the department, industry and local levels (DDCI); develop a handbook for project implementation in the area; Amend Decision 25 on the regulations on investment project management in the province, so that people and businesses can easily access information and have a clearer understanding of the process and implementation methods in the coming time.

Regarding the question of delegate Lu Thi Khuyen, Con Cuong district delegation on solutions to support businesses and cooperatives to recover after the Covid-19 pandemic, the Director of the Department of Planning and Investment said: From the beginning of 2022 to now, the number of newly registered and returned enterprises to the market is 1,640 enterprises; 1.75 times higher than the number of closed enterprises that did not return to the market.

Delegate Lu Thi Khuyen, Con Cuong district delegation, gave a questioning speech. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Citing the above figures, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Duc commented that this is a good sign. However, as the province's general advisory body, the Department has developed 6 key solutions.

First of all, advise the Provincial People's Committee to issue plans, in conjunction with assigning specific and detailed tasks to relevant sectors, units and localities; at the same time, establish 5 special working groups chaired by leaders of the Provincial People's Committee, regularly inspect, urge and resolve difficulties for people and businesses. On that basis, the sectors have been active in supporting taxes, land rents, social insurance, exemptions and reductions of fees, charges, etc.

Along with that, the Department has advised the Provincial People's Committee to issue the Enterprise Development Project and the Investment and Business Environment Improvement Project. On that basis, in 2022, it advised the Provincial People's Committee to allocate 6.22 billion VND to support start-up businesses and develop human resources;...

At the same time, advise the People's Committee to submit to the Provincial People's Council a draft Regulation on business registration fees and charges. If the Provincial People's Council approves it at this session, it will be reduced by 50 - 60% compared to current regulations.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Duc - Director of the Department of Planning and Investment answered questions. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Duc added: The Department has directed the Business Registration Office to support businesses in applying information technology, increasing the rate of online business registration, which has now reached 97%; presiding over and coordinating with departments and branches to develop a Handbook, as well as amending investment procedures to make it easier for businesses to access; and at the same time, putting the investment project management software in the area into operation in August 2022.

Every quarter, the Department also coordinates with the Party Committee of the Business Bloc and business associations to synthesize recommendations, problems and difficulties of businesses for advice on handling.

Regarding the disbursement of public investment capital, the Department has also directed to resolve the issue of increasing construction material prices, as well as urge the disbursement of public investment capital to enterprises to have resources for implementation.

DETERMINED TO REPLACE INDEFFICIENT CONTRACTORS

Disbursement of public investment capital was also questioned by many delegates. Ms. Tran Thi Thanh Huyen, Delegate Group of Thanh Chuong district, asked for solutions to speed up public investment capital?

Ms. Tran Thi Thanh Huyen, Thanh Chuong District Delegation, gave a questioning speech. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Regarding this issue, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Duc said: As of June 30, 2022, the total public investment plan has disbursed 3,059,342 million VND, reaching 32.58% of the plan; higher than the national average, but lower than the same period.

Explaining this issue, in addition to the subjective reasons due to the lack of attention from some local leaders, or the slow progress in site clearance, and the weak selection of contractors and design consultants in some places, there are also some objective reasons.

Accordingly, in 2022, the province will have 80 new projects starting construction, 18 transitional projects with new bidding packages. These projects account for about 48% of the total allocated capital in 2022. Meanwhile, it takes about 9 to 12 months for a project to start construction. Recently, the Provincial People's Committee has directed the Governor to shorten the processing time to 4-6 months so that these projects can start construction soon.

"Thus, for newly started projects, disbursement will not begin until July or August 2022," said Mr. Nguyen Xuan Duc.

Mr. Trinh Van Nha - Thanh Chuong District Delegation Group questioned about solutions to speed up disbursement of public investment capital. Photo: Thanh Cuong

On the other hand, a very important reason is the high price of raw materials, affecting the disbursement of public investment capital. Other projects are mostly projects waiting for final settlement or facing difficulties in site clearance, which affects the disbursement of public investment capital. Along with that, the process of ODA projects, due to compliance with Vietnamese and international laws, makes disbursement more difficult.

From clearly identifying subjective and objective causes, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Duc said drastic solutions for disbursement in the coming time.

First of all, leaders at all levels and sectors must enhance their responsibilities. The Provincial People's Committee has directed the emulation ranking, discipline, and administrative discipline of leaders to be attached to the disbursement of public investment capital.

Along with that, continue administrative reform; require specialized departments such as Construction, Transport... to quickly approve estimates and construction drawings for newly started projects so that the Department of Planning and Investment has a basis to approve the contractor selection plan.

Focus on leadership, direction and guidance in compensation and site clearance work; improve the quality of bidding work, resolutely replace and handle incompetent contractors; transfer capital from investors with poor disbursement to investors with good disbursement rates.

In line with Resolution No. 11/NQ-CP, the Provincial People's Committee has identified 5 main groups of tasks and solutions: Flexibly and effectively implementing the goal of preventing and fighting the Covid-19 pandemic while restoring socio-economic development, ensuring social security and supporting employment; supporting the recovery of enterprises, cooperatives, and business households, removing difficulties in production and business activities; investing in infrastructure development, accelerating the disbursement of public investment capital; institutional reform, administrative reform, and improving the investment and business environment.

IMPROVING PUBLIC RESPONSIBILITY, RESOLVING PROBLEMS FOR BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE

Concluding the questioning and answering session, on behalf of the chair of the session and the conclusion, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Nguyen Nhu Khoi assessed: The choice of questioning issues by the delegates was correct, promptly meeting the requirements of life. This is also an issue that voters, the business community, cooperatives, and business households are very interested in. The questions were concise, specific, clear, and non-overlapping, demonstrating the high responsibility of the delegates.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Nguyen Nhu Khoi concluded the questioning of the Director of the Department of Planning and Investment. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Nguyen Nhu Khoi also assessed: The Director of the Department of Planning and Investment has prepared quite well, grasped the issues, answered to the point, went straight to the basic contents, and clarified the contents requested by the delegates. Relevant departments and branches participated in answering questions and explaining more clearly the issues that the delegates were interested in.

On behalf of the meeting chairman, after assessing the achievements as well as the shortcomings and limitations in implementing the Socio-Economic Recovery and Development Program and deploying and implementing fiscal and monetary policies to support the Socio-Economic Recovery and Development Program and social security work, the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council highly agreed with the groups of solutions presented by the Director of the Department of Planning and Investment.

Delegates at the question and answer session, 7th Session, 18th Provincial People's Council. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Along with that, the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council proposed that the People's Committee direct all sectors and levels to continue focusing on a number of contents including: Synchronously and effectively implementing the Covid-19 epidemic prevention and control program in the new situation; not being subjective or negligent in the face of new developments of the epidemic to ensure stability and safety for socio-economic development; ensuring timely and proper procurement of medicines, medical supplies and medical equipment, not affecting the medical examination and treatment of the people; especially prioritizing funding sources to complete the payment of benefits for medical staff during the epidemic prevention and control period, and completing support for people and businesses facing difficulties due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic in accordance with regulations.

Along with that, continue to focus on directing the timely implementation of policies on tax, fee and charge exemption and reduction, tax and land rent extension policies according to Government decrees; create better conditions for credit capital and loan procedures to help enterprises, cooperatives and business households meet the best loan capital to restore production and business.

Delegates at the question and answer session, 7th Session, 18th Provincial People's Council. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Comrade Nguyen Nhu Khoi also emphasized the need to direct and promptly complete documents and procedures for submission to competent authorities for approval, implement public investment projects in 2022 according to plan, and promptly disburse public investment capital.

Effectively implement the recommendations of the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council on thematic supervision of vocational training and human resource development in the province in the period of 2015 - 2020, focusing on rationally arranging vocational training facilities, improving training quality, meeting the requirements of the labor market; focus on connecting solutions, solving labor supply and demand, solving jobs for workers and creating better conditions for businesses to invest in the province.

Delegates at the question and answer session, 7th Session, 18th Provincial People's Council. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Continue to effectively carry out administrative reforms, improve the investment and business environment; publicize and make transparent processes and procedures; apply information technology, enhance public service responsibilities, remove obstacles for businesses in site clearance for projects, investment procedures, licensing, consider shortening administrative procedures and time for businesses and people to easily access and implement; improve awareness, sense of responsibility, and attitude of serving civil servants.

The Provincial People's Council and the meeting chairman requested the Provincial People's Council Committees and delegates to continue to monitor, follow up and supervise the implementation of the opinions and solutions raised by the Director of the Department of Planning and Investment and related sectors in important contents related to the implementation of the questions and group discussions. The Provincial People's Council will continue to listen to the results of the implementation of these contents, especially the overcoming of shortcomings and limitations, and upcoming solutions at the Provincial People's Council meeting at the end of this year.