Vietnam PM warns of punishment for sluggish public investment

Officials would face disciplinary actions if their ministries and localities fail to realize their respective disbursement targets of public investment funds for this year, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has warned.

The government remains steadfast in disbursing the full target amount of VND630 trillion (US$27.26 billion).

The government remains steadfast in disbursing the full target amount of VND630 trillion (US$27.26 billion) to aid economic recovery, and this requires the active participation of the entire political system, Mr. Phuc said at a government meeting today [August 21].

Priority should be given to major infrastructure projects to avoid any delay, including the North-South Expressway, Long Thanh International Airport, and My Thuan – Can Tho expressway, among others, Mr. Phuc stressed.

Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung said the most challenging issue in public disbursement is the site clearance process, including the verification of the origin of land and the compensation for affected households.

Mr. Dung pointed to the site clearance as a major obstacle for the Eastern North-South expressway project in the 2017 – 2020 period, in which 13 provinces and cities are involved.

As of July 31, the disbursement amount stood at VND193.04 trillion (US$8.32 billion) or 40.98% of the government’s target. The figure is estimated to reach VND221.76 trillion (US$9.56 billion) or 47% of the total estimate by August 31, higher than the 41.39% recorded in the same period last year.

To date, 39 ministries, ministerial-level agencies and six provinces have disbursed 35% of plans or less, with 15 agencies and one province disbursing even less than 15%.