Promptly resolve obstacles in the implementation and disbursement of national target programs.

Comrade Lo Van Tien, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, inspected the model of growing ramie using production support funds from national target programs in Lao Xa Phinh commune, Tua Chua district.

Implementing national target programs, in 2024 the entire province completed the detailed allocation of nearly 2,006 billion VND, reaching 95.2% of the plan; of which, investment capital was allocated at 92.4%, and recurrent expenditure capital was allocated in detail at 100%.

However, the implementation process in localities has encountered many difficulties and obstacles, especially regarding the operational funds for the Socio -Economic Development Program for Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas. For example, in Dien Bien district in 2023, only 18% of the operational funds for the Socio-Economic Development Program for Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas were disbursed. From the beginning of 2024 until now, the operational funds for all three programs have not been disbursed.

Leaders of Dien Bien district requested the prompt removal of difficulties and obstacles related to production support projects under national target programs, at the meeting of the Provincial Steering Committee for National Target Programs held on March 21st.

Mr. Bui Hai Binh, Chairman of the Dien Bien District People's Committee, stated: Currently, the purchase of breeding stock to support production according to the regulations of the Livestock Law and production processes is facing many obstacles and cannot be implemented. In addition, Circular No. 55/2023/TT-BTC dated May 18, 2023, of the Ministry of Finance , regulating the management, use, and settlement of recurrent expenditure from the State budget for the implementation of national target programs in the 2021-2025 period, is currently lacking specific guidance from some departments and agencies. Regarding the Sustainable Poverty Reduction Program's funding, the district is facing difficulties related to Document No. 1516/TCGDNN-KHTC dated July 31, 2023, from the General Department of Vocational Education (Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs), which states that vocational education and continuing education centers are not vocational education institutions, therefore the district is halting the allocation of funds for implementation.

Leaders of Tủa Chùa district inspect the provision of agricultural machinery support in Sín Chải commune from the sustainable poverty reduction program. (Photo: Contributor)

Tủa Chùa District also faces difficulties in the implementation and disbursement of national target programs. Mr. Nguyen Minh Tuan, Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee, said: Regarding investment capital, in the first three months of this year, the Socio-Economic Development Program for Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas disbursed 4.5%; the Sustainable Poverty Reduction Program disbursed 4.6%; and the operational capital for these two programs has not been disbursed yet. Specifically for the New Rural Development Program, neither investment capital nor operational capital has been disbursed.

During implementation, the lack of units and businesses creating supply chains, coupled with primarily community support, has made it difficult to deploy the program's contents. For the production support project, the district encountered difficulties in determining the standards for breeding stock. Furthermore, the absence of standardized economic and technical norms applicable to national target programs has hampered implementation. The New Rural Development program has strict requirements regarding land use and management. Consequently, some units proposed for support have withdrawn their applications.

The regulations in the new Bidding Law affect the progress of project implementation and the disbursement of investment capital for national target programs.

Not only Dien Bien and Tua Chua districts, but most localities in the province are facing difficulties in implementing national target programs, especially regarding recurrent expenditure funds. Therefore, in the first three months of this year, the entire province only disbursed 3.91% of the plan; of which development investment capital disbursed reached 6.3% and recurrent expenditure capital disbursed was 660 million VND, reaching only 0.08% of the plan.

In 2024, Dien Bien province is determined to strive to achieve 100% disbursement of planned capital, especially the capital from 2022 and 2023 carried over to 2024. At the conference to implement national target programs in 2024, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Lo Van Tien requested departments, agencies, and localities to strengthen inspection and supervision; review beneficiaries to avoid overlapping policies that lead to disbursement failures. Functional agencies should urgently advise the Provincial People's Committee on concretizing Resolution No. 111/2024/QH15 of the National Assembly on special mechanisms for implementing national target programs. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development should advise the Provincial People's Committee on issuing economic and technical norms for production support projects.

Currently, the funds allocated to support ethnic minorities under the Socio-Economic Development Program for Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas have not yet been disbursed. In the photo: A corner of Púng Bon village – a village of the Cong ethnic group (Pa Thơm commune, Điện Biên district).

The province also requested central ministries and agencies to provide guidance on the implementation of the regulations in Clause 2, Article 3 of Circular No. 55/2023/TT-BTC dated August 15, 2023, "Regarding the procurement of crops, livestock, and goods and services directly produced by the people." Currently, organizing bidding and purchasing products such as plant and animal breeds within the province to implement production development support projects faces many difficulties because there are no facilities in the province that can provide buffalo and cattle breeds that meet the regulations. Meanwhile, purchasing from some facilities outside the province to meet the regulations of the Livestock Law results in high prices for the breeding stock and difficulty in adapting to the living environment.

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