If the estimate is not based on a complete basis, the estimate will not be accurate.

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Duc Hai chaired the meeting. Photo: Ho Long

Continuing the 44th session, on the morning of April 24, under the direction of Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Duc Hai, the National Assembly Standing Committee gave opinions on the principles, criteria, and norms for allocating the regular expenditure estimates of the state budget in 2026.

Not considering or issuing the Resolution at this time

Presenting the Report on principles, criteria and norms for allocating the regular expenditure estimates of the state budget in 2026, Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang stated that the purpose is to implement the policies of the Party and the State, including new policies directly related to the allocation of regular expenditures of the state budget such as: reorganizing the apparatus, exempting tuition fees, ensuring order, security, national defense, prioritizing the fields of science, technology, innovation and digital transformation, education and training... At the same time, it serves as a basis for the Government to develop and submit to the National Assembly the state budget estimate, the central budget allocation plan for 2026; determining the percentage of revenue division and additional amounts from the central budget for each locality.

View of the Session. Photo: Ho Long

Presenting the Review Report on principles, criteria, and norms for allocating regular expenditure estimates for the state budget in 2026, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Committee Phan Van Mai said that the majority of opinions suggested not considering and issuing the Resolution at this time.

According to the Report, April 30, 2025 is used as the basis for determining the indicators and norms related to administrative units specified in the draft Resolution. However, according to the reviewing agency, this time is not appropriate. After the arrangement of the apparatus and administrative boundaries, the application of norms in localities is not just a matter of "mechanical" addition but needs to be assessed comprehensively, linked to specific factors of natural conditions, management focal points and economic, political and social development needs in the area with new administrative boundaries. The application of many different norms in the area of ​​a commune after the merger can cause difficulties in management and operation.

Furthermore, after the arrangement of the apparatus and administrative boundaries, the classification of the 4 regions according to the previous Decisions of the Prime Minister may no longer be appropriate, thereby not having enough legal basis to serve as a basis for establishing allocation norms applicable in 2026 and the following years.

Chairman of the Economic and Financial Committee Phan Van Mai speaks. Photo: Ho Long

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Committee also said that some contents related to principles, criteria, and norms for regular expenditure allocation in the draft Resolution being amended in the State Budget Law (the Government is planning to submit to the National Assembly for consideration and approval at the Ninth Session) have removed the 3-year financial-budgetary plan; the budget stabilization period and the regulation rate. Along with that, some new policies expected to be submitted to the National Assembly for approval at the Ninth Session have an impact on the criteria and norms for regular expenditure in localities.

Closely follow the amendment of laws and Resolutions at the Ninth Session

Considering that the draft Resolution is not yet qualified for the National Assembly Standing Committee to vote and pass, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man suggested that the Ministry of Finance needs to carefully review it, especially in the context of the arrangement of provincial and commune-level administrative units and the upcoming end of district-level activities, it is necessary to clarify the concepts of urban and rural areas, and at the same time, it must be based on Resolution No. 76/2025/UBTVQH15 of the National Assembly Standing Committee on the arrangement of administrative units in 2025.

Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang speaks. Photo: Ho Long

The National Assembly Chairman raised the issue that if the Resolution is passed after the Ninth Session, will the Government be able to promptly adjust and complete the contents to serve as a basis for developing the state budget estimate and expenditure estimates for 2026 of ministries and branches? If it is not in time and the Resolution must still be issued at this time, it must be resolved to ensure consistency with the State Budget Law and the Resolution on organizational structure, tuition exemption policy... "We must find a way to update the current new situation in this draft Resolution," the National Assembly Chairman noted.

Concluding the discussion, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Duc Hai stated that the National Assembly Standing Committee agreed on the necessity and many specific contents in the draft Resolution. However, the draft Law on State Budget (amended) expected to be submitted to the National Assembly for approval at the Ninth Session has changes related to criteria and norms for state budget allocation... We are also preparing to merge provinces, end the operation of district level, and merge commune level. Many mechanisms and policies related to criteria and norms for regular expenditure, and state budget allocation to implement important contents to bring the country into a new development stage will also be submitted to the National Assembly at the Ninth Session, especially the policy of exempting and supporting tuition fees for preschool and general education.

The Vice Chairman of the National Assembly suggested that the Government should update the situation, closely follow the amendment of relevant laws and Resolutions at the upcoming Ninth Session; absorb the opinions of the Chairman of the National Assembly and the opinions of the examining agency to complete the draft Resolution. This is a very important issue. If the norms are established without a basis or are incomplete, the estimate will not be accurate, so it is necessary to delay one step.

H. Ngoc

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/lap-dinh-muc-ma-thieu-co-so-chua-day-du-thi-du-toan-se-khong-chinh-xac-post411290.html