The Prime Minister chaired a meeting of the Steering Committee for key national projects in the transport sector.

The meeting was held in person and online between the Government headquarters and provinces and centrally-run cities with important national and key projects in the transport sector in the area.

Attending the meeting were: Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, Deputy Head of the Steering Committee; ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies; members of the Steering Committee, leaders of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government agencies; Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and cities; representatives of project management boards, investors, contractors, etc.

The meeting aims to review and urge the work after the 12th meeting and discuss solutions, continue to remove difficulties and obstacles, and promote the progress of works and projects.

Opening the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Head of the Steering Committee, emphasized that one of the goals set by the 13th Congress is to have 3,000 km of expressways nationwide by 2025 and 5,000 km of expressways nationwide by 2030. The 13th Congress also identified 3 strategic breakthroughs, including a breakthrough in transport infrastructure.

Implementing the Party's resolutions, the Government decided to establish a Steering Committee, identifying a list of projects that the Steering Committee monitors and directs, including 40 major projects/92 component projects in 3 areas: Road, railway and aviation, passing through 48 provinces and centrally-run cities.

After 12 meetings, the Prime Minister, Head of the Steering Committee, issued 12 conclusions; over 400 dispatches to urge and remove difficulties and obstacles to promote project implementation. Thereby, there are long-standing obstacles such as: Long Thanh International Airport; North-South Expressway in the East, capital for urban railway projects, Ben Luc-Long Thanh Expressway, construction material sources, site clearance; issuance of Highway Standards; piloting sea sand materials; conversion of rice land and forest land; progress and quality of projects ensuring requirements...

To date, two expressway projects have been completed (with 12 component projects, including 11 component projects of the North-South Eastern Expressway in the 2017-2020 period and the Tuyen Quang-Phu Tho Expressway) with a total length of 693 km passing through 15 provinces and cities, bringing the total number of expressways to about 2,021 km.

The projects implemented and completed will contribute to promoting socio-economic development, creating new development space for localities where the projects pass through, creating new urban and service areas, increasing land value, reducing logistics costs, facilitating travel, creating jobs and livelihoods for people, developing businesses; and creating trust and support from the people.

At the 12th meeting of the Steering Committee, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Head of the Steering Committee, assigned 57 tasks to ministries, agencies and localities, including 11 time-limited tasks. At the same time, the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Ministers issued 12 documents directing the implementation of tasks related to projects and works.

The Prime Minister acknowledged, commended and highly appreciated the active participation, efforts and working spirit of ministries, branches, localities, project management boards, enterprises, construction contractors, supervision consultants, especially the team of officers, engineers, workers and laborers directly working at project sites.

The Prime Minister said that there are a number of tasks being implemented that have not been completed, and it is necessary to continue to make efforts and strive to achieve the set goals, welcome Party congresses at all levels, move towards the 14th National Party Congress, celebrate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the country, and the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification.

The Prime Minister requested the members of the Steering Committee and delegates attending the meeting to focus on reviewing and evaluating the specific tasks assigned and handling, directing and resolving difficulties and obstacles, promoting the progress of project implementation in the coming time. In particular, specifically reporting the results of the implementation of the tasks, clearly stating the existing problems, obstacles, difficulties, and measures for implementation in the coming time; handling of outstanding issues, such as procedures for common construction material mines for projects; progress of site handover, relocation of technical infrastructure; construction status of projects under the management agency.

Along with that, review the implementation of the guidance on contents according to functions and tasks on investment project appraisal procedures, capital arrangement...; forest use purpose conversion work; unit prices, norms, methods for determining material prices at mines; ODA capital; material exploitation, land use purpose conversion; electrical infrastructure relocation work...

According to the Ministry of Transport, the Standing Agency of the Steering Committee, at the 12th meeting of the Steering Committee and conferences, the Prime Minister assigned 57 tasks to ministries, branches and localities, focusing on removing difficulties and obstacles, accelerating the progress of site clearance and providing construction materials, especially for key transport projects in the Southern region. To date, the units have completed 20 tasks on time, are actively implementing 30 tasks of regular direction and management, and 1 task has not yet been due, and 6 tasks have not been completed on time.

The Government Electronic Information Portal will continue to update information about the meeting.