According to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Ho Chi Minh City is a locality with a special role and position in the country. Because if Ho Chi Minh City's economic growth increases by 1%, it will contribute 0.17% - 0.18% to the whole country, in addition to making a large contribution to the budget revenue. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said that the Government always spends a lot of time to remove obstacles, there are things that require political determination to do. Regarding legal obstacles, the Government's direction is to amend many laws, in the near future, 13 laws will be amended, including the Law on Public Investment, because many public investment projects, although being urged and directed, still have cumbersome procedures. Therefore, it is necessary to go straight to the difficult issues and obstacles that need to be removed; for the contents that have been done well, we will draw experiences to implement them better".

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a working session with Ho Chi Minh City on socio-economic results and removing difficulties and obstacles surrounding the implementation of Resolution 98.

Resolution 98 brings many positive results

Regarding the results of implementing Resolution 98, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai said that after 1 year of implementing Resolution 98, the work that the city has implemented has brought positive effects, many mechanisms have come into life, and some mechanisms are in the process of implementation. "Subjectively assessing, the work implemented in the area in the past year is equal to the entire term," Mr. Phan Van Mai shared.

The Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee affirmed that Resolution 98 is an important legal tool on institutions to create motivation and improve the efficiency of the public service; handle bottlenecks, promote the process of economic restructuring and urban infrastructure construction, initially bringing some positive results. The city has allocated 1,500 billion VND of public investment capital to support interest rates for investment projects lent by the City State Financial Investment Company (HFIC) in priority areas of socio-economic development. Along with that, 2,900 billion VND has been allocated for the Ho Chi Minh City - Moc Bai expressway project.

The city also issued a list of projects calling for investment under the public-private partnership model in the culture and sports sector with 23 projects (total investment of nearly 22,400 billion VND). The city has organized synchronous solutions to speed up the progress of key works and projects, focusing on finding ways to remove legal obstacles to implement projects to bring initial results. The focused projects include metro line No. 1, Ring Road 3, An Phu intersection, Tran Quoc Hoan - Cong Hoa road connection road, expansion of National Highway 50, etc.

In the past, the city prioritized allocating 2,796 billion VND for the poverty reduction program in 2023 and disbursed 100% to nearly 39,000 customers. In 2024, Ho Chi Minh City allocated 998 billion VND for the poverty reduction program and disbursed 100% to 13,658 customers borrowing capital under the poverty reduction program... In addition, Ho Chi Minh City stipulates that the maximum additional income expenditure coefficient is 1.5 times compared to the salary scale and position; the additional income expenditure level is according to a specific amount of money with a maximum expenditure level of 3 million VND/staff present/month for a number of central agencies in the city...

Mr. Phan Van Mai, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee reported on the results achieved in implementing Resolution 98 as well as recommendations for developing the city's economy.

Regarding the tasks for the last 6 months of the year, Mr. Mai said that Ho Chi Minh City will focus on breakthrough solutions: promoting public investment disbursement, increasing total social investment; promoting public consumption, stimulating consumption, stabilizing the market; supporting export promotion; promoting new growth drivers; ensuring social security; digital transformation, administrative reform. Ho Chi Minh City sets a target of GRDP growth of 7.5% in 2024, and 8% in 2025.

Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung said that Resolution 98 is considered a complete and comprehensive resolution with 44 mechanisms and policies in 7 different areas. The resolution is based on 3 main principles: "maximum resource mobilization", "maximum decentralization" and "allowing the implementation of a number of functions and tasks with shortened processes and procedures". After more than 1 year of Resolution 98 taking effect, the implementation of the resolution in Ho Chi Minh City has achieved many encouraging results. Ministries and branches have completed 8/18 tasks. Notably, the issuance of a decree on piloting the decentralization of state management in a number of areas for the Ho Chi Minh City government. “In recent times, with the strong determination of ministries, branches and especially Ho Chi Minh City, Resolution 98 has been implemented at a rapid pace and many mechanisms and policies have taken immediate effect, contributing positively to the results of socio-economic development,” said Mr. Dung.

The city continues to propose many solutions for development.

In the coming time, Ho Chi Minh City will continue to improve policies to attract strategic investors, issue decisions to support interest rates for investment projects that HFIC Company lends to in priority areas of socio-economic development; Pilot plan for urban development model following the orientation of public transport development (TOD); Pilot project on financial mechanism to implement measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions according to carbon credit exchange and offset mechanisms; issue regulations on procedures and plans for implementing land allocation and land lease procedures for land areas in the land fund managed by the State in cases of rearrangement and handling of public assets as determined in the BT contract to pay investors, etc.

However, the implementation of Resolution 98 still has some shortcomings, in which ministries and branches are still slow in coordinating and implementing tasks. According to Mr. Mai, some tasks in Resolution 98 are being researched and applied nationwide by ministries and branches, so more time is needed, such as the task of developing regulations on mechanisms and policies to encourage the development of rooftop solar power; the project to develop a carbon market in Vietnam; the task of comprehensive research for provinces and cities with poverty lines higher than the national poverty line to propose specific plans and solutions, etc.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a working session with Ho Chi Minh City on socio-economic results and implementation of Resolution No. 98/2023/QH15 of the National Assembly.

The Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee proposed that the Prime Minister pay attention and promptly approve the decision to adjust the investment policy of the Ho Chi Minh City Environmental Sanitation Project, Phase 2 and the Metro Line 1 project as a basis for the city to carry out the next procedures to speed up the completion of the projects according to the commitment with foreign sponsors...

At the same time, Mr. Mai also proposed that the Prime Minister continue to provide targeted support from the central budget for the High-Tech Park to invest in the construction of the expanded High-Tech Park, similar to the previous support for the High-Tech Park, with a central budget capital ratio of 30% and the city budget capital of 70%. In addition, he proposed that the Prime Minister direct the early completion of the decision approving the investment policy of the Can Gio International Transit Port Project; the urban railway system development project; the Vietnam International Financial Center in Ho Chi Minh City, etc.

Giving further comments to the city, Minister Nguyen Chi Dung suggested that Ho Chi Minh City needs to have drastic solutions in the last 5 months of the year to strive to complete the budget assigned by the Prime Minister to be able to apply the bonus and reinvestment provisions according to the provisions of the State Budget Law and Resolution 98. "Ho Chi Minh City also needs to review the implementation process of the mechanisms to see if there are any problems that are not suitable for the city's socio-economic development, clearly define the handling authority, propose recommendations and solutions, and report to the Prime Minister and the Head of the Steering Committee for consideration and direction of handling," said Mr. Dung.

Directing a number of specific tasks, the Prime Minister first requested to continue to thoroughly grasp and concretize Resolution 24 of the Politburo on socio-economic development, ensuring national defense and security in the Southeast region, Resolution 31 of the Politburo on the direction and tasks of developing Ho Chi Minh City until 2030, Resolution 131 of the National Assembly on organizing the urban government model of Ho Chi Minh City and Resolution 98 of the National Assembly, successfully completing the goals and tasks set for 2024, striving for the City's economic growth to reach 7.5-8% for the whole year.

At the same time, establish a task force to promptly resolve arising problems and difficulties. Strongly promote the role of the country's economic locomotive; synchronously deploy solutions to stimulate the economy, stimulate investment and consumption; control prices, prevent smuggling and trade fraud.

At the same time, improve the efficiency of management, use and promote disbursement of public investment capital, focusing on large and key projects. Timely resolve difficulties and obstacles, create maximum convenience for people and businesses in production and business activities; drastically improve the investment and business environment; promote start-ups and innovation.

Promote administrative procedure reform, enhance decentralization and delegation of authority in work processing; improve the Provincial Public Administration Performance Index. Promote national digital transformation, build smart cities, Project 06 and increase the deployment of online public services on the National Public Service Portal.

The Prime Minister requested that socio-economic development go hand in hand with preserving and promoting traditional cultural values ​​and protecting the environment. Solve social issues well; implement social security policies well, and create jobs. Continue to improve the quality of education and training; focus on forming leading education and training centers in the country, region and internationally.

Strengthening national defense and security, maintaining political security, social order and safety; creating favorable conditions and environment for socio-economic development. Paying attention to the work of building a clean and strong Party and political system, improving the leadership capacity and fighting strength of Party organizations and Party members. Focusing on building a streamlined apparatus that operates effectively and efficiently, building a contingent of qualified and capable cadres, especially leaders, restructuring and improving the quality of cadres, civil servants and public employees.

The Head of Government emphasized that Ho Chi Minh City must promote its important role as "the nucleus and growth pole of the region", as "a civilized, modern, dynamic and creative city", as "the economic, financial, commercial, scientific and technological, and innovation center of the whole country", and believes that Ho Chi Minh City will successfully complete its 2024 tasks and the assigned tasks.

Also at the meeting, leaders of ministries and branches responded and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh gave instructions on the City's proposals and recommendations related to the draft Decree regulating mechanisms and policies to encourage the development of self-produced and self-consumed rooftop solar power (to be issued in the coming days), the Pilot Project for offshore wind power development, the Pilot Project for developing the carbon credit market in Vietnam and amending Decree 06/2022/ND-CP on Regulations on greenhouse gas emission reduction and ozone layer protection; Can Gio International Transit Port project; urban railway system development project; Vietnam International Finance Center in Ho Chi Minh City...