Timely allocation and rational use of funds and budget in disaster prevention

On the morning of May 11, the Provincial National Assembly Delegation held a conference to collect comments on the Draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and the Law on Dikes to be submitted to the National Assembly for consideration at the 9th session. Deputy Heads of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation: Nguyen Thanh Hien and Tran Van Mao chaired the conference. Attending were representatives of relevant departments, branches and sectors. Photo: Thanh Quynh

Speaking at the opening of the conference, Deputy Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation Tran Van Mao affirmed: The Law on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, the Law on Dikes and the issued guiding documents have contributed significantly to perfecting the legal corridor in natural disaster prevention and control, contributing to promoting natural disaster risk management, minimizing damage and developing socio-economy.

However, after many years of implementation in the context of complex natural disasters, a number of issues have arisen related to: natural disaster prevention resources, types of natural disasters and natural disaster prevention works; mobilization of natural disaster prevention resources; State budget in natural disaster prevention; dredging activities, use of floating areas and islands; authority of specialized dike management forces... that need comments and amendments.

Manage and use funds and budgets rationally in disaster prevention and control

Delegate Pham Hong Thuong - Deputy Head of the Irrigation Sub-Department proposed to consider establishing a district-level agency to manage the natural disaster prevention and control fund with a part-time position, without adding staff. Because the planning, collection and deposit of the annual natural disaster prevention and control fund are mainly carried out at the district level. In addition, the district level also manages 20% of the fund's revenue, so when a natural disaster occurs, it will help local authorities quickly deploy support work and overcome the consequences.

Delegate Pham Hong Thuong - Deputy Head of the Irrigation Sub-Department participated in giving comments related to the issue of management and use of funds and state budget in natural disaster prevention. Photo: Thanh Quynh

In addition, the current state budget for natural disaster prevention is still scattered among many management agencies, affecting natural disaster prevention activities. Therefore, it is recommended to supplement and adjust accordingly.

Sharing the same view, delegate Que Thi Tram Ngoc - Head of the Department of Inspection and Drafting of Legal Documents, Department of Justice, proposed that there should be regulations on separate expenditure items in the state budget directory to concentrate resources, create initiative in natural disaster prevention, and avoid general regulations that cause confusion during implementation.

Forming a specialized, professional force in PCTT

Many opinions at the conference reflected the reality of the problem when the law stipulates that natural disaster prevention is a multi-sectoral field, with the participation of many ministries, branches and localities in management and implementation. Each activity may include many tasks and each task may require the participation, direction and coordination of many agencies and units.

However, it is not clear which force, agency or unit is in charge and directly responsible. Therefore, the specific responsibility for the implementation tasks is not clear and transparent.

Many opinions say that the disaster prevention and control forces at local levels have different components, and have not yet formed a specialized, professional, and synchronous force. Photo: Document

The disaster prevention and control forces at local levels have different compositions, and have not yet formed a specialized, professional, and synchronous force that ensures multi-sectoral coordination throughout from the central to local levels.

Basically, the force of cadres for natural disaster prevention and control is still the same as the previous flood and storm prevention apparatus, so it does not ensure the scale and experience in consulting, and does not cover all 19 types of natural disasters, as well as the state management tasks on natural disaster prevention and control as stipulated in the Law on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control.

Therefore, it is recommended to build, train and improve the professional skills of the force in charge of this work.

In addition, issues related to: training, coaching, providing means, equipment and having support policies for the shock force to prevent and fight natural disasters; Determining plans for natural disaster prevention and irrigation... were also mentioned by delegates at the conference.

On behalf of the National Assembly Delegation, the Deputy Heads of the National Assembly Delegation acknowledged and summarized the opinions of the delegates participating in the drafting of the Law, and submitted it to the National Assembly for consideration at the next session.