Reporter (PV): Can you tell us about the bright spots in the socio-economic situation in the first 6 months of the year compared to the same period in 2023? What is the significance of this growth rate for the economic recovery and development of the province?

Comrade Le Thanh Tung: According to the announcement of the General Statistics Office, the gross domestic product (GRDP) in Ninh Binh province in the first 6 months of 2024 is estimated to increase by 8.19% over the same period last year, of which: The agriculture, forestry and fishery sector increased by 2.75%; the industrial and construction sector increased by 10.45% (industry alone increased by 11.02%); the service sector increased by 9.43%.

The highlight of the province's economic situation in the first 6 months of the year is that trade and service activities have been vibrant and achieved high growth rates compared to the same period, especially the accommodation, catering and transportation services. With an increase of 9.43%, the service sector has the highest contribution to the overall GRDP growth of the province (contributing 3.63 percentage points).

The recovery and growth of tourism activities are of great significance in spreading and promoting the development of service industries, increasing the proportion of the service sector as well as the contribution of the service sector to the overall growth of the province's economy.

In the general context of the whole country, the increase of 8.19% in the first 6 months of the year has shown very positive results in the leadership and management of the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, Provincial People's Committee, all levels, sectors and especially the efforts of the business community and production and business units in the area in overcoming difficulties, maintaining stability, restoring production and business activities, which is a premise as well as creating motivation for the task of striving to achieve the highest level in implementing the economic growth target for the whole year of 2024.

PV: All 11 commodity groups have increased indexes compared to the same period, accordingly, the CPI in the first 6 months of the year increased by 4.51% compared to the same period in 2023. How does this put pressure on the risk of inflation, comrade?

Comrade Le Thanh Tung: Inflation is one of the macroeconomic indicators; for our country, inflation is an indicator that represents the goal of stabilizing the value of money in the monetary policy prescribed by the National Assembly. The factor affecting the 4.51% increase in CPI in the first 6 months of 2024 in the province is mainly due to input costs. Because in the context of production and business activities still facing many difficulties, the recovery is slow, but input prices are still high, increasing the cost of producing goods and services.

In the first 6 months of the year, the Government has issued many directives to implement the goals of controlling inflation, including: Notice No. 193/TB-VPCP dated May 3, 2024 of the Government Office conveying the Conclusion of Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai - Head of the Steering Committee for Price Management at the Steering Committee meeting on the results of price management and operation in the first quarter of 2024 and orientations for price management in the remaining months of 2024; Official Dispatch No. 61/CDTTg dated June 22, 2024 of the Prime Minister sent to Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Government agencies; Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities on strengthening price management and operation measures.

Accordingly, direct relevant ministries, branches and units to deploy appropriate and timely measures to ensure the target of controlling inflation in 2024 within the limit of 4-4.5% in accordance with the National Assembly's Resolution in all situations, striving for about 4%.

Considering the factors that will increase the money supply in the economy in the last months of 2024, such as: Increasing disbursement of public investment capital, credit growth in the last months of the year according to the assigned target and the implementation of increasing the basic salary from July 1, 2024, the pressure to achieve the goal of controlling inflation is present for the whole country in general, including controlling the CPI increase of each locality in particular and Ninh Binh also has the same task when the average CPI in the first 6 months of the year of the province increased by 4.51% compared to the same period last year.

Reporter: Currently, the consumer price index is still under control, but inflationary pressure tends to increase towards the end of the year. According to you, what solutions are there to achieve the goal of controlling inflation in the last months of the year?

Comrade Le Thanh Tung: As mentioned above, the pressure on price management and administration in the last months of 2024 is real. To ensure the target of controlling inflation in 2024 within the limit of 4-4.5% in accordance with the Resolution of the National Assembly and striving for about 4%, it is necessary to implement many synchronous solutions; focusing on the following tasks: Each sector, each level and each unit according to its functions and tasks must continue to closely follow the direction of the Government, ministries, branches and provinces on key tasks and solutions to promote growth, control inflation and stabilize the macro economy according to Resolution No. 93/NQ-CP dated June 18, 2024 of the Government and Official Dispatch No. 61/CD-TTg dated June 22, 2024 of the Prime Minister on strengthening price management and administration measures.

Manage well the supply of essential goods such as food and foodstuffs, avoid traffic interruptions to stabilize gasoline and oil, input prices for production activities, helping businesses and production and business units to reduce product and service costs. Continue to support businesses and production and business units to overcome difficulties, boost production to provide enough goods and services on the market.

In agricultural and aquatic production, it is necessary to do a good job of forecasting, controlling and preventing diseases. Do not let diseases occur that cause great harm to crop and livestock productivity, causing a decrease in output and affecting the supply of products on the market.

Adjust public service prices according to a suitable roadmap and time, avoid sudden price increases of goods and services or concentrated increases in a short period of time leading to major disruptions in price levels.

Publicize price management and operation to create trust for producers and consumers, avoiding price increases due to psychology.

Supervise the implementation of regulations on price declaration, price posting, and price information disclosure of business units, especially large trading centers, supermarkets, wholesale markets, and areas with high population density.

At the same time, it is necessary to closely monitor weather developments and world situations to have timely and appropriate solutions, avoiding passivity in price management in general and consumer prices in particular.

PV: Thank you, comrade!

Lanh Anh (performed)