State Audit recommends reducing state budget expenditure by 2,864.8 billion VND

At the question and answer session of the 6th session of the 15th National Assembly , on the morning of November 6, State Auditor General Ngo Van Tuan presented a report on the implementation of a number of resolutions of the 14th National Assembly on thematic supervision and questioning and the National Assembly's resolutions on thematic supervision and questioning from the beginning of the 15th term to the end of the 4th session.

President Vo Van Thuong attended the meeting on the morning of November 6.

Specifically, for the task of "Strengthening the audit of the implementation of policies and laws on practicing thrift and combating waste; conducting thematic audits of the contents of the supervision delegation stated in Report No. 330/BC-DGS dated October 11, 2022 in the 2023 audit plan", the State Auditor General has researched, revised, supplemented, and completed the audit procedures and instructions.

At the same time, issue directive documents and organize audit implementation to improve the quality of audit activities in general and the effectiveness and efficiency of auditing for the implementation of legal policies on thrift practice and waste prevention in particular. In particular, request units under the State Audit to strengthen auditing to promptly detect violations, acts of corruption, waste, negativity and clearly identify the responsibilities of collectives and individuals to propose handling in accordance with the provisions of law.

State Auditor General Ngo Van Tuan presented a report at the meeting.

Promote comprehensive audits to deeply and comprehensively evaluate the management and operation of each level and unit, as well as focus on evaluating the effectiveness of policies and mechanisms to propose improvements and overcome loopholes, losses and waste from mechanisms and policies...

The 2023 audit plan includes 129 audit tasks, including audits of budget settlement reports at 27 ministries and central agencies, reaching 66% (27/41) of the number of focal points. Audits of local budget settlement reports at 52 localities, reaching 83% (52/63) of the number of focal points. Meanwhile, the number of thematic audits and operational audits reached 23% of the total number of audits (30/129), in line with the roadmap for implementing the goals of the State Audit Development Strategy to 2030.

Up to now, the 2023 Audit Plan is being implemented in accordance with the issued audit organization plan. As of September 30, 2023, the State Audit has deployed audit teams to achieve 91% of the annual audit plan, equivalent to the same period in 2022 (in 2022, the rate was 89.6%), issued 84 audit reports with a total of recommendations of VND 14,094 billion, of which the recommendations to increase state budget revenue are VND 1,015.6 billion, reduce state budget expenditures by VND 2,864.8 billion, and other recommendations are VND 10,213.6 billion.

Mr. Ngo Van Tuan said that the implementation of audit recommendations has always been closely directed by the State Audit. In particular, last September, the State Audit coordinated with the National Assembly's Finance and Budget Committee to organize a session to explain the implementation of audit conclusions and recommendations. The implementation results showed that basically, the recommendations of the State Audit have been implemented by the units.

Recommendations on financial and other handling are implemented on average at about 75-80% for the year immediately preceding the audit year and continue to be implemented in the following years at a rate of 15-20% of the remaining recommendations each year. In the first 9 months of 2023, the implementation of the 2022 audit recommendations according to the reports of the units reached 67.4% (same period last year was 56.63%).

National Assembly deputies attend the morning session on November 6.

In carrying out its assigned tasks, the State Audit has strengthened its audit of contents related to urban planning, management and land use when developing its annual audit program. Accordingly, the State Audit has carried out a thematic audit task related to urban planning, management and land use.

In addition, in the budget audits of ministries, central and local agencies, corporations, general companies, etc., the State Audit has identified important audit contents including: Land management and use; implementation and management, use of public assets and performance of obligations to the state budget for the rearrangement and handling of houses and land approved by competent authorities according to regulations; management and use of land use fees, land rent, etc.

Synthesizing audit results related to policies and laws on urban planning, management and land use in the period from 2020 to 2022, the State Audit has recommended increasing state budget revenue from land by VND 3,377 billion; recommending amendments, supplements or cancellation of some inappropriate contents in 8 legal documents. At the same time, the audit results also pointed out shortcomings and limitations in land management, use, planning, and construction licensing, and the State Audit has recommended relevant units to overcome, review, rectify and draw lessons in each audit report.

To continue to effectively and qualitatively implement the resolutions of the National Assembly, the State Audit respectfully reports to the National Assembly, the National Assembly Standing Committee; State Auditor General Ngo Van Tuan requests the Government to direct ministries, branches and localities to seriously and promptly implement the audit recommendations. At the same time, organize inspection and supervision of the implementation of issued resolutions to rectify and urge implementation.

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