Proposing 8 specific mechanisms to remove obstacles for national target programs

Continuing the working program of the 5th Extraordinary Session, on the morning of January 16, the Government submitted to the National Assembly the Report on "Draft Resolution on a number of specific mechanisms and policies to implement national target programs".

Presenting the report, Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc said that, based on the practical implementation of national target programs and concretizing the tasks assigned by the National Assembly, the Government proposed specific policy solutions beyond the Government's authority to thoroughly remove difficulties and obstacles, and continue to create favorable conditions for localities to speed up the implementation progress and disbursement of capital for national target programs in the coming time.

Based on the review opinions of the National Assembly's Ethnic Council and the implementation of the Conclusion of the National Assembly Standing Committee, the Government proposes to name the Resolution "Resolution of the National Assembly on a number of specific mechanisms and policies to implement national target programs".

Dialogue - Proposing 8 specific mechanisms to remove obstacles for national target programs — Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc presented the report.

According to the submission, the Government submitted to the National Assembly for decision to pilot 8 specific mechanisms and policies, specifically:

Firstly, regarding the mechanism for allocating and assigning the annual central budget's regular expenditure estimates: The Government proposes that the National Assembly resolve on a special mechanism other than that prescribed by the State Budget Law to decentralize to localities the decision on the detailed allocation of regular expenditure estimates from the central budget's support sources to implement national target programs.

Second, regarding the mechanism for adjusting the State budget estimate and adjusting the annual capital investment plan, the Government proposes that the National Assembly resolve on mechanisms that are not yet stipulated in the State Budget Law and the Public Investment Law.

Accordingly, the Provincial People's Council decided to adjust the 2024 State budget estimate (regular expenditure) and the undisbursed State budget estimate in 2023 (including investment expenditure and regular expenditure transferred from previous years to 2023) of national target programs that have been transferred to 2024.

Provincial and district People's Committees, according to their authority, decide to adjust the state budget investment plan of national target programs of previous years that have been extended to 2024.

Third, regarding the promulgation of regulations on procedures, criteria, and sample documents for selecting production development projects, the Government proposes that the National Assembly resolve on a different pilot mechanism as prescribed in Clause 4, Article 14 of the Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents.

Fourthly, regarding the mechanism for using the State budget in cases where the owner of a production development project is assigned to purchase goods himself, the Government proposes that the National Assembly resolve on another mechanism prescribed in Clause 1, Article 2 of the Bidding Law No. 22/2023/QH15.

In particular, it is proposed to stipulate that the owner of the production development project (including: Enterprises, cooperatives, cooperative unions, and people) when assigned to purchase goods from the State budget support capital source can also decide on the method of purchasing goods within the scope of the production development support project approved by the competent authority (adding the subjects who are allowed to purchase goods themselves from the State budget support capital source).

In cases where State agencies directly purchase goods to hand over to project owners, or directly support people in carrying out production development support activities, they must conduct bidding for goods procurement in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Bidding.

Fifth, regarding the mechanism for managing and using assets formed from production development support projects, the Government proposes a special mechanism that has not been stipulated in the 2017 Law on Management and Use of Public Assets and other relevant regulations. In particular, it proposes two options:

Option 1: Implement support policies according to production development support projects, not applying public asset management regulations to assets with state budget support capital of less than 500 million VND, or assets supporting the community. Implement policies for the chair of the association to borrow preferential capital to invest in assets worth 500 million VND or more to serve production development activities (no support from the state budget).

Option 2: The project owner develops production, manages and uses assets formed from state budget support capital during the project implementation period.

The project management agency is responsible for monitoring and supervising the process of asset management and use. The competent authority approving the project decides to support and transfer the right to use and own equipment, tools, and assets of small value to the people and households participating in the project right from the time of project approval.

After the end of the production development support project, the production development support project management agency and the production development project owner shall organize the inventory, evaluation and handling of assets formed from the State budget support capital.

Dialogue - Proposing 8 specific mechanisms to remove obstacles to the national target program (Figure 2). — Delegates attending the meeting on the morning of January 16.

Sixth, regarding the mechanism of entrusting balanced capital of local budgets through the social policy bank system, the Government proposed that the National Assembly resolve on a special mechanism that has not been specifically regulated in the State Budget Law and the Public Investment Law, allowing localities to use balanced capital of local budgets entrusted through the Social Policy Bank to provide preferential loans to some subjects of national target programs to implement some contents and tasks of each program.

Seventh, regarding the pilot mechanism of decentralization to the district level in managing and organizing the implementation of national target programs, the Government proposed two options for the pilot decentralization mechanism to implement the provisions in Resolution No. 100 dated June 24, 2023 for the National Assembly to decide.

Option 1: Not implementing the pilot mechanism immediately in the 2024-2025 period, only regulating policy content with orientation for the organization to implement national target programs in the 2026-2030 period.

Option 2: Implement a pilot decentralization mechanism right in the management and organization of the implementation of national target programs for the 2024-2025 period as proposed in the Government's Submission No. 686/TTr-CP dated December 8, 2023. Accordingly, the Provincial People's Council decides to select one district (01 district) to pilot the decentralization mechanism in the 2024-2025 period.

Eighth, regarding the mechanism for assigning medium-term public investment plans and annual capital investment for small-scale investment projects with uncomplicated techniques, based on implementation practices and the wishes of many localities, the Government proposes that the National Assembly resolve on other specific mechanisms stipulated in the Law on Public Investment.

Specifically, localities are expected to allocate a portion of capital in the medium term to implement small-scale, non-technical construction investment projects; it is not required to assign the project portfolio in the medium term. Every year, localities will allocate and assign detailed plans to each specific project and ensure that the capital planned in the medium term does not exceed.

The Government submitted to the National Assembly for consideration and approval the "Resolution of the National Assembly on a number of specific mechanisms and policies for implementing national target programs" to thoroughly remove difficulties and obstacles, and speed up the implementation of programs in the coming time.

Reporting on the review of the draft Resolution, Chairman of the National Assembly's Ethnic Council Y Thanh Ha Nie Kdam said that the National Assembly agreed with the necessity of issuing the Resolution as stated in the Government's submission and found that the issuance of specific policies was based on urgent practical requirements to remove difficulties and obstacles, and accelerate the implementation of national target programs.

At the same time, implement Clause 2, Article 2, Resolution No. 108 of the National Assembly on thematic supervision of national target programs.

Regarding the name of the Resolution, the Council of Nationalities finds that the name of the Resolution has been accepted and revised according to the conclusion of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly. The name after acceptance is: "Resolution of the National Assembly on a number of specific mechanisms and policies to implement national target programs", the above name is appropriate, ensuring brevity, conciseness and high generality .

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