Deputy Prime Minister requests to review and strictly handle 'suspended' projects and projects violating the law

80% of facilities with high risk of environmental pollution are controlled

On the morning of December 31, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment held an online conference to summarize the work in 2021 and deploy the tasks in 2022 of the industry. Photo: Scene at Nghe An bridge point

Comrade Le Van Thanh - Deputy Prime Minister attended and directed the conference. Comrade Tran Hong Ha - Minister of Natural Resources and Environment chaired at the Central bridge. At the Nghe An bridge, comrades Hoang Nghia Hieu - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and comrade Pham Van Toan - Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment chaired.

In 2021, besides the Covid-19 pandemic, the situationclimate change, natural disasters and degradation of natural ecosystems have also affected the operations of the entire industry.Resources and EnvironmentWith the motto "Solidarity, discipline, innovation, creativity, and aspiration for development", the industry has achieved many results, making direct and important contributions to socio-economic development and macroeconomic stability.

Specifically, the Natural Resources and Environment sector has focused on perfecting institutions and removing obstacles, especially bottlenecks in funding.land, problems with mineral materials for production, contributing to unlocking resources and promoting the overall development of the country.

Administrative procedure reform continues to be promoted with 95% of administrative procedures returning results on time; 61/63 provinces and centrally-run cities have linked land procedures with credit institutions in paying financial obligations, helping to reduce time and costs for people and businesses.

The comrades presiding at the Nghe An bridge point. Photo: Mai Hoa

The potential and advantages of coastal areas are promoted, becoming dynamic development areas, attracting domestic and foreign investment resources, creating development momentum, opening up, international integration, forming and developing economic zones and industrial zones associated with the formation of coastal urban chains.

During the year, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment completed the target assigned by the National Assembly on the rate of industrial parks with centralized wastewater treatment systems, the rate of domestic solid waste collected and treated in urban areas reached about 94.71% (higher than the target assigned by the National Assembly of 89%).

Delegates participating at Nghe An bridge. Photo: Mai Hoa

Modelswaste treatmentWaste incineration to generate electricity instead of landfilling has been implemented in many localities; 80% of facilities with high risk of environmental pollution are under operational control.

The sector also improves the accuracy of forecasting work, approaching the level of advanced countries in the region and the world; focuses on establishing digital infrastructure platforms, digital transformation of the Natural Resources and Environment sector, strongly applying information technology in direction and operation, improving the quality of public services for people and businesses; strengthens foreign affairs activities, takes advantage of opportunities to support technology investment and renewable energy development.

Delegates participating at Nghe An bridge. Photo: Mai Hoa

Strictly handle "suspended" projects and projects that violate the law.

Speaking at the conference, on behalf of the Government, Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh highly appreciated the efforts, innovation, creativity in leadership, direction, administration and achievements of the Natural Resources and Environment sector in 2021.

Emphasizing that natural resources and environment are important resources for the country's development, Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh set out requirements for the Natural Resources and Environment sector in 2022 to continue to make institutional breakthroughs, review inadequacies in regulations for amendment, supplementation, strong decentralization, and unleash potential for development.

Along with that, it is necessary to develop a project to summarize Resolution No. 19-NQ/TW, dated October 31, 2012 of the Party Central Committee on Continuing to innovate land policies and laws in the period of comprehensively promoting the renovation process, creating a foundation for our country to basically become a modern industrialized country by 2020; at the same time, develop a project to amend the Land Law to submit to the National Assembly in 2022 to remove current bottlenecks and problems, especially regarding land prices, land limits, site clearance, etc.; focus on national land planning for the period 2021 - 2030 and land use planning for the period 2021 - 2025.

Nghe An Department of Natural Resources and Environment officials measure land for an investment project in Vinh city. Photo: Mai Hoa

Pointing out that currently in many localities, there are many "suspended" projects, projects that violate the law, projects that use the wrong purpose with large land use areas, located in "prime" locations, causing waste of the country's land resources, the Deputy Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and localities to focus on carefully reviewing and grouping projects to strictly handle them according to regulations, and at the same time convert them to continue using land, avoiding waste.

Step up the investigation of mineral reserves, especially important strategic minerals; focus on completing the planning of marine and coastal space until 2030, with a vision to 2050, in order to effectively manage and exploit marine and coastal space.

The Natural Resources and Environment sector needs to effectively implement the Law on Environmental Protection 2020, ensuring sustainable development; associated with the determination to well implement the Prime Minister's commitment at COP26; focus on improving the quality of hydrometeorological forecasting and warning; pay attention to investing in human resources, facilities, and equipment to effectively serve the management of natural resources and environment nationwide.