Increase the proportion of central budget to implement national target programs

On the morning of December 5, at the tenth session, the National Assembly discussed in the hall the investment policy of the National Target Program on new rural areas, sustainable poverty reduction, and socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas until 2035.

Delegates attending the discussion session on the morning of December 5. Photo: media.quochoi.vn

Unreasonable capital allocation

Analyzing the capital allocation, delegate Mai Van Hai ( Thanh Hoa Delegation) said that the capital arrangement to implement the national target program for the period 2026-2030 is 500,000 billion VND (central capital is 100,000 billion VND (accounting for 20%), local capital is 400,000 billion VND (accounting for 80%)... In the current conditions of province merger, the demand for investment capital for infrastructure and the completion of new rural criteria after the arrangement is very large. Meanwhile, many mountainous provinces and mountainous communes still have many budget difficulties...

To ensure the feasibility of capital sources, delegates proposed to increase the central budget balance and have solutions to mobilize other legal capital sources.

Delegate Mai Van Hai (Thanh Hoa Delegation) speaks. Photo: media.quochoi.vn

Concerned about the unreasonable capital allocation, delegate Ho Thi Minh ( Quang Tri Delegation) said that the estimated capital of the program for the 2026-2030 period is 1.23 trillion VND, but the central capital is only 8%, the local budget capital is 33% and the capital mobilized from people and businesses is 28%. Meanwhile, ethnic minority areas, especially the Central and Central Highlands provinces, are receiving subsidies from the Central Government, applying the 33% counterpart is very difficult and can easily lead to outstanding debts in basic construction. Therefore, it is necessary to review the capital structure and exempt the counterpart for poor communes and areas that often experience floods and natural disasters...

Also on this content, delegate Ha Sy Huan ( Thai Nguyen Delegation) said that the proportion of the central budget is not commensurate with the leading role, while the local counterpart rate is quite high, causing the financial burden to be concentrated mainly on the locality, creating great pressure on the disadvantaged provinces.

Therefore, it is necessary to review and clarify the ability to balance the central budget and consider adjusting the capital structure so that the central budget plays a leading role in both proportion and leadership in implementing the program. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the proportion of the central budget in the total state budget to a reasonable level for the program to be implemented effectively.

Delegate Ha Sy Dong (Quang Tri Delegation) speaks. Photo: media.quochoi.vn

Delegate Ha Sy Dong (Quang Tri Delegation) also expressed that the minimum capital requirement for the 2026-2030 period is over VND240,000 billion, but currently only VND100,000 billion has been balanced - only reaching about 41.5% of the minimum requirement. Meanwhile, the requirement to mobilize 33% of local budget capital and 28% from businesses and communities is not feasible for poor provinces, where the budget often depends on the Central Government. The delegate suggested redefining the appropriate counterpart ratio, especially for mountainous provinces, remote and isolated areas - where even 10% counterpart is a challenge.

Delegate Dieu Huynh Sang (Dong Nai Delegation) also emphasized that the local counterpart capital ratio of more than 4 times the central capital is "inappropriate and difficult to implement" and suggested that the central budget must be the main resource, playing a decisive role in focusing resources on key and focal investments.

Review and balance the budget appropriately

Concerned about the poverty rate, delegate Mai Van Hai (Thanh Hoa Delegation) suggested that there should be a convincing explanation of the basis for determining the targets on the multidimensional poverty rate; the targets of new rural communes and modern new rural communes for the period 2026-2030 and until 2035. Because currently, the regulations on multidimensional poverty standards for the period 2021-2025 and the set of criteria for building new rural areas, advanced new rural areas, and model new rural areas for the period 2021-2025 are just about to end; the set of new rural criteria is in the process of being built, so it is necessary to clarify the basis for setting the targets.

Delegate Ho Thi Minh (Quang Tri Delegation) speaks. Photo: media.quochoi.vn

Concerned that the targets are too high and difficult to achieve, delegate Ho Thi Minh (Quang Tri delegation) pointed out the reality that currently, the content of supporting residential land, production land and clean water is not achieved because the review of land recovery from farms and forestry farms has not been done thoroughly, the part handed over to people is mostly poor land, river areas where trees cannot be grown or lived... Therefore, it is necessary to continue reviewing land funds to hand over to people.

"As for clean water, we should not deploy it in a decentralized manner anymore but concentrate resources. The Government should invest in the people. Clean water taken from streams in the forest or wells cannot be considered an optimal solution. If we continue to drill wells, we will see the consequences of uncontrolled exploitation of groundwater. Water from streams and creeks cannot be called clean water if it is not treated," the delegate emphasized.

Scene of the discussion session. Photo: media.quochoi.vn

Explaining the issues of concern to delegates, Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Duc Thang affirmed that the majority of National Assembly delegates agreed with the policy of integrating three programs into one program to overcome the shortcomings and limitations of the previous period.

Regarding the opinions of some delegates who expressed concerns about the allocation of 100,000 billion VND of central budget capital for the program being low, the Minister said that the Government agreed with the opinion that the program has a nationwide scope, with priority given to ethnic minority and mountainous areas. Therefore, the initial allocation of 100,000 billion VND of central budget capital is limited.

Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Duc Thang. Photo: media.quochoi.vn

However, in the 2026-2030 period, in addition to this program, there are 4 other national target programs being implemented. Along with that, the program for sustainable development of the Mekong Delta region, the program for stabilizing population in mountainous areas and difficult areas have been included in the draft resolution of the 14th National Congress, which is expected to focus on investment in the 2026-2030 period and other capital sources... to achieve the goals and tasks of the program. During the operation process, the Government will continue to balance the central budget to report to the National Assembly for additional priority in accordance with actual conditions.

Regarding the opinion that the local capital regulation of 400,000 billion VND is too large, beyond the balancing capacity of localities, the Minister said that the local budget capital for implementation is the total two-level local budget capital of 34 provinces and cities allocated for the program, including 7 self-balancing localities and 27 localities receiving support from the central budget. This is one of the main capital sources reflecting the proactive role and responsibility of Party committees, authorities and localities in implementing the program's objectives. In response to the opinions, the Government will continue to review and balance to determine the most appropriate level of local budget capital.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/nang-ty-trong-ngan-sach-trung-uong-de-thuc-hien-chuong-trinh-muc-tieu-quoc-gia-725747.html