Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghe An Province: Overcoming difficulties and seizing opportunities for development.

On the morning of September 25th, Comrade Nguyen Duc Trung - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee - chaired the regular monthly meeting of the Provincial People's Committee for September 2024 to hear and give opinions on important issues.

The guests at the session included: Nguyen Nam Dinh - Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; and Thai Thi An Chung - Deputy Head of the Provincial Delegation of National Assembly Deputies.

Attending the meeting were: Mr. Le Hong Vinh - Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Mr. Bui Thanh An - Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Mr. Bui Dinh Long - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Mr. Nguyen Van De - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; along with other members of the Provincial People's Committee and leaders of departments and agencies. The meeting was connected to 21 locations in districts, cities, and towns.

Budget revenue is estimated at 16,671 billion VND.

At the meeting, the Provincial People's Committee listened to and commented on the report on the first nine months of the year and the key tasks and solutions for the last three months of 2024 in the following areas: socio-economic development; public investment; state budget revenue and expenditure; and administrative reform...

The provincial gross domestic product (GRDP) growth rate for the first nine months is projected to reach approximately 7.5-8%; the third quarter alone is estimated to reach around 8.5%.

The agricultural, forestry, and fisheries production situation is basically stable. The industrial production index for the first nine months is estimated to increase by 10.64%. State budget revenue in the area for the first nine months is estimated at 16,671 billion VND, reaching 104.8% of the projected target and 143.2% compared to the same period in 2023.

As of September 23rd, the province had granted licenses to 58 new projects with a total registered investment capital of over 18,739 billion VND; and adjusted the total investment capital of 30 projects with a total increase of over 16,802 billion VND. As of September 20th, the total public investment plan disbursed reached 5,022 billion VND, achieving 54.14%.

The overall quality of education continues to affirm its top position nationwide. Administrative reform and digital transformation have been focused on and have yielded many noteworthy results. National defense, security, and social order and safety are ensured.

At the meeting, leaders from the districts of Kỳ Sơn, Quỳ Châu, Đô Lương, Nghi Lộc, and Hoàng Mai town reported on the socio-economic situation in their respective areas during the first nine months of the year, and proposed solutions to address difficulties and obstacles. Leaders from various departments and agencies reported on the results of their tasks and discussed and answered questions raised by the localities.

Speaking at the meeting, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Van De requested that departments and agencies coordinate with localities to expedite the disbursement of funds for flood and storm relief, and funding for the prevention and control of African swine fever; and to finalize procedures for funding support for winter crop production.

On the other hand, localities are seriously implementing the Provincial People's Committee's directives on focusing on responding to rain, floods, and landslides, ensuring the safety of people's lives during natural disasters; and accelerating the progress of key agricultural projects. Coastal districts are strictly implementing directives on combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.

While commending the revenue collection results, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Bui Thanh An stated that it is necessary to accelerate the collection process to achieve the set targets; resolutely implement the settlement of outstanding investment capital and review and recover projects that are behind schedule.

In addition, departments, agencies, and localities must avoid backlogs in handling administrative procedures when implementing new laws; strictly handle officials and civil servants who are criticized by the public for causing inconvenience and harassment to citizens and businesses; and develop a reasonable and effective state budget.

Many bright spots amidst the difficulties.

Concluding the meeting, Comrade Nguyen Duc Trung - Chairman
The Provincial People's Committee stated that, despite the general difficulties facing the entire country, the province's socio-economic situation in the first nine months of the year achieved quite positive results.

In the economic field, there are five bright spots: GRDP growth rate of 7.5-8%, higher than the same period in 2023 and higher than the first and second quarters. Budget revenue exceeded the provincial People's Council's target, increasing by 45% compared to the same period, with 16 out of 21 localities exceeding their revenue targets. Investment attraction, although not as high as in 2023, was positive, with FDI reaching over 730 million USD. Public investment disbursement was quite good.

Furthermore, the province's key tasks and priority projects have been largely completed. The province has received Resolution No. 137 from the National Assembly on supplementing the pilot implementation of certain specific mechanisms and policies; the Prime Minister has issued a plan for implementing the provincial planning. The Ministry of Interior has submitted proposals to the Government regarding the Vinh City project and the reorganization of district and commune-level administrative units. Key national and provincial projects have all been implemented effectively.

In the socio-cultural field, the province ranked 12th nationwide in high school graduation exam results, an increase of 10 places compared to 2023. The program to mobilize and support the construction of houses for the poor and those with housing difficulties in the province continued to be implemented. The province mobilized and collected over 114 billion VND, including nearly 90 billion VND in cash, to support localities and people in the northern provinces in overcoming the impact of Typhoon No. 3.

In addition, the direction and management of sectors and localities have been carried out in a focused, targeted, and efficient manner, yielding clearer results. Administrative reform has seen many positive changes, and the awareness and responsibility of officials and civil servants have been fundamentally improved.

National defense, security, and social order and safety continue to be ensured, maintaining a stable environment for socio-economic development. Foreign relations activities have been vibrant, contributing to attracting investment and economic development.

However, according to the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, the production and business activities of enterprises still face many difficulties; 32 investors have low public investment disbursement rates, some investors have not disbursed any funds at all, and many sources have low disbursement rates.

The processing of investment procedures and dossiers by some agencies and localities is still slow. The impact of rain and floods has caused damage to the lives and property of people and the State. The awareness and responsibility of some officials and civil servants in performing their duties have been criticized by the public for causing inconvenience and harassment.

Seize the opportunity, show strong determination, and make great efforts.

Emphasizing the tasks for the last three months of 2024, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung requested that all sectors and localities overcome difficulties, closely monitor and understand the situation, and seize opportunities to demonstrate high determination and greater efforts to achieve the highest possible level of the set goals and targets.

Focus on removing obstacles and difficulties for the production and business activities of enterprises, supporting investors and industrial production projects to start operating soon to contribute to growth. Promote and encourage consumption, support the consumption of locally produced products, trade, services, and import-export activities.

In particular, the head of the Provincial People's Committee requested that localities closely monitor the weather situation, proactively prevent and effectively respond to natural disasters, storms and floods; ensure the safety of people's lives and property, and minimize damage to both people and the State.

Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung requested the implementation of key tasks in October and the fourth quarter of 2024. These include: implementing the Plan for implementing Resolution 137 of the National Assembly; effectively organizing the Provincial Planning; implementing tasks to prepare for Party Congresses at all levels, leading up to the 20th Provincial Party Congress; meticulously and efficiently preparing the contents to be presented at the year-end session of the Provincial People's Council; and preparing for the 20th anniversary of Vietnamese Entrepreneurs' Day.

Regarding budget revenue and expenditure and the disbursement of public investment capital, Comrade Nguyen Duc Trung requested increased state budget revenue collection, striving to exceed 23,000 billion VND; effective and economical budget spending, prioritizing important and urgent tasks. He also urged the prompt allocation and disbursement of 200 billion VND for disaster relief in 2023.

In addition, focus on accelerating the disbursement of public investment capital, removing difficulties and obstacles related to bidding, land clearance, and preventing corruption, losses, and waste. Proactively review and reallocate capital plans from projects that have not yet disbursed or are disbursing slowly to projects with good disbursement progress.

Develop a public investment plan for 2025 that ensures quality, efficiency, and timely completion. Focus on completing procedures and accelerating the implementation of key projects and large-scale projects in economic zones and industrial parks expected to become operational in 2024, paying particular attention to connecting labor and employment for investors.

Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung requested the Education sector to focus on effectively implementing the tasks of the 2024-2025 school year; strengthen medical examination and treatment and disease prevention; enhance activities connecting labor supply and demand; review the poverty rate; and coordinate with Ha Tinh province to organize the commemoration of the 10th anniversary of Nghe Tinh folk songs being recognized by UNESCO as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

Regarding the task of promoting administrative reform, effectively implementing Project 06 and digital transformation, the head of the Provincial People's Committee requested that departments and localities continue to maintain and improve the results of administrative reform; enhance the awareness, responsibility, work efficiency, discipline, and administrative order of a portion of officials and civil servants who lack good awareness; strictly handle cases that have received public feedback; advise on the development of the Digital Transformation Project; and strengthen propaganda and mobilization efforts to gain public consensus and support for the province's policies and guidelines.

Ensuring national defense, security, and social order and safety with the motto of closely monitoring the situation, having a firm grasp of the local area, promptly handling emerging issues, avoiding the formation of "hot spots," and maintaining a stable environment for development.

Pham Bang