Nghe An: Adjusting 2018 growth target beyond 'safe zone'

(Baonghean.vn) - This information was given at the inspection on the morning of December 6 of the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council on the report on the socio-economic performance of Nghe An in 2017 and tasks for 2018.

Comrade Nguyen Xuan Son - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council chaired the inspection. Attending the inspection were Comrade Nguyen Xuan Duong - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Vice Chairmen of the Provincial People's Council: Cao Thi Hien; Hoang Viet Duong; Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Xuan Dai; and heads of the Provincial People's Council Committees. Photo: MH

Gambling crimes increase

At the inspection, the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council highly appreciated the management and drastic participation of all levels and sectors in promoting socio-economic development as well as solving arising problems;

In 2007, 27/27 main socio-economic targets were achieved and exceeded the set plan; 22 more communes reached the new rural standard, bringing the total number of communes meeting new rural standards in the province to 174;

The province has also put a number of works and projects into use such as the road connecting National Highway 7-N5-D4 to Nghi Thiet; Vinpearl Cua Hoi hotel, entertainment and resort complex; The Vissai Port...;

Budget revenue reached 12,030 billion VND. Culture and society have progressed; social security issues are ensured; people's material and spiritual life has improved. Political security and social order and safety are maintained.

Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Xuan Duong received opinions from the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council to adjust and supplement the process of implementing tasks in 2018. Photo: MH

During the inspection, the Standing Committee and Committees of the Provincial People's Council focused on clarifying many limitations and shortcomings, and requested the Provincial People's Committee to closely evaluate and, on that basis, propose practical and effective solutions in 2018.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Hoang Viet Duong said: The provincial budget estimate for irrigation fee compensation mainly for the two Southern and Northern Irrigation Companies is 251 billion VND/year, but this source is almost not invested in repairing and upgrading the irrigation system in localities, while currently the irrigation system in localities is very degraded. Therefore, the Provincial People's Committee needs to inspect and control the shortcomings to find solutions.

The opinion of Head of the Culture - Social Committee of the Provincial People's Council Ho Phuc Hop stated that many basic construction investment projects are unfinished, causing waste of resources and frustration among the people.

Affirming the cause of the large amount of outstanding debt in basic construction, comrade Ho Phuc Hop suggested that it is necessary to accurately assess the current situation of outstanding debt in basic construction and in outstanding debt in new rural construction, including debt in resources and debt in criteria, in order to have specific solutions.

Concerned about internal affairs, Head of the Provincial People's Council's Legal Committee Phan Duc Dong said: Although the rate of handling complaints and denunciations in the whole province reached 96.5%, the number of citizens visiting administrative agencies during the year increased by 17.1%.

This issue arises because the work of handling petitions at the district and commune levels has not been focused on solving the root cause, but has only focused on solving within the authority, or has not created trust among the people. Comrade Phan Duc Dong also raised concerns about the effectiveness of anti-corruption work when the rate of detection through inspection and examination is still too low.

Regarding internal affairs, Deputy Head of the Provincial People's Council's Legal Department Tran Dinh Toan stated that gambling crimes increased with 1,251 cases and 4,854 subjects discovered and arrested in 2017. Of these, 1,307 gamblers were tried, accounting for 1/3 of the total number of defendants in the crimes prosecuted in the whole province. Therefore, it is recommended that the province has solutions to propagate and combat this crime.

Concerned about growth targets

Regarding the targets and tasks for 2018, many opinions are concerned about the growth rate in 2017 reaching 8.25%, while in 2018 it was only set at 8 - 9%; or the budget revenue in 2017 reached 12,030 billion VND and in 2018 it was only set at 12,691 billion VND. This is a safe idea, without any effort; especially it will lead to difficulty in achieving the target set by the 18th Provincial Party Congress of 25 - 30,000 billion VND in budget revenue.

Explaining this issue, Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Xuan Dai admitted that the growth rate target was low, however, in the process of economic development management in 2018, the Provincial People's Committee will strive to reach 8.25% or more.

Regarding budget revenue, the Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee said that the budget revenue target assigned by the Ministry of Finance to the province in recent years cannot be increased, except for increasing land revenue. And in 2018, the Ministry of Finance assigned the province a budget revenue target of more than 11,900 billion VND, which is the basis for the province to set the target for this year.

Head of the Department of Culture and Society Ho Phuc Hop is concerned about the outstanding debt of basic construction and new rural construction. Photo: MH

Also related to the tasks of 2017, Deputy Head of the Economic - Budget Committee of the Provincial People's Council Dang Quang Hong proposed that the Provincial People's Committee supplement and focus on directing the implementation of the Resolutions of the 5th and 6th Central Executive Committee Conferences (term XII) related to private economic development; restructuring and improving the efficiency of state-owned enterprises; arranging and streamlining the state apparatus to operate effectively and efficiently; taking care of people's health; population work in the new situation...

Concluding this content, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Nguyen Xuan Son requested the Provincial People's Committee and relevant sectors to pay attention to proposing solutions to direct and manage the resolution of existing problems and shortcomings arising in 2018 such as tax arrears, basic construction debts, new rural debts; better handling of land and forest allocation to people as well as forest protection; maintenance of irrigation works; support for businesses.

The Chairman of the Provincial People's Council emphasized the requirements for the fight against corruption; receiving citizens, handling complaints and denunciations; and inspection and examination work need to be more drastic and effective.

Comrade Nguyen Xuan Son also requested the Provincial People's Committee to pay attention to building and expanding economic models; implementing the task of sustainable poverty reduction; taking care of grassroots cultural and sports institutions, improving the material and spiritual life of the people; requesting the Provincial People's Committee to adjust the growth rate target for 2018 to reach 8.5 - 9%.

In the remaining time this morning, the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council will review the results of public investment in 2017 and the public investment plan for 2018; and draft a Resolution on socio-economic development tasks in 2018.

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