Auditing the Socio-Economic Recovery and Development Program: Many limitations and shortcomings remain

08/30/2024 06:46

(PLVN) - Audit results show that the implementation of the Program at ministries, central and local agencies still has many limitations and shortcomings.

More than 20,400 billion VND of unallocated capital, flexible adjustment

The State Audit Office (SA) has just completed a thematic audit of "Implementation, management and use of investment capital for infrastructure development under the Socio-Economic Recovery and Development Program (Program); implementation of development investment policies according to Resolution No. 43/2022/QH15 at the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), the Ministry of Finance and 7 construction investment projects invested by the People's Committees of Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Hau Giang and Kien Giang provinces.

Through the audit, the State Audit Office pointed out many limitations and shortcomings in the implementation of the Program at ministries, central agencies and localities. Specifically, for the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the State Audit Office pointed out that the consultation to submit to the Government to report to the National Assembly (NA) to issue development investment policies under Resolution 43/2022/QH15 with the initial implementation progress in 2022 - 2023 was not feasible during the implementation process, leading to the need to report to the NA to allow the extension of the implementation period and disbursement of the capital plan under the Program until December 31, 2024.

The Ministry has not yet advised the Government to submit to the National Assembly at the 6th Session of the 15th National Assembly to stop implementing and reduce the investment scale for 7 projects of the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs; the Ministry of Education and Training that have been assigned capital by the Prime Minister for the 2022-2023 period. These units have submitted documents requesting to stop implementing and reduce the scale, and the National Assembly Standing Committee has agreed to allow the capital reduction of VND 1,217,628 billion from the Program and requested the Government to report to the National Assembly at the 6th Session of the 15th National Assembly.

For the Ministry of Finance, the progress of implementing projects under the Program under the Ministry's management is still slow compared to the requirements for capital disbursement in 2022 and 2023. 3/10 projects under the Program assigned to the Ministry of Finance as the investment management agency have not yet determined the investment policy closely, leading to the implementation process having to approve adjustments to the investment policy regarding investment objectives and investment scale.

Clarify the cause and advise on handling according to regulations

Regarding the implementation of the Program at ministries, central and local agencies, according to the State Audit, as of March 31, 2024, 20,491 billion VND of the Program's capital limit has not been allocated or flexibly adjusted by ministries, central and local agencies, accounting for 15.7% of the total capital for tasks and projects under the Development Investment Policy; 13 projects have not yet approved investment projects, so there are not enough procedures to assign detailed capital plans with a total capital assigned by the Prime Minister of 1,759 billion VND (including 8 projects under the management of ministries and central agencies; 5 projects under the management of localities).

As of January 31, 2024, the total investment capital of the Program has been disbursed at VND 85,022 billion, equal to 65.1% of the plan assigned by the Prime Minister. Some ministries, central agencies and localities have disbursed capital in 2023 that has not met the requirements. Some ministries and localities have allocated capital lower than the capital assigned by the Prime Minister from the Program. 44 projects in localities with construction start-up time completed before 2024 have not yet allocated enough counterpart capital for the remaining capital shortage of VND 546.2 billion.

Regarding the management and use of investment capital, through detailed audits of 7 projects, the audit results show that the work of establishing, appraising, and approving investment policies and investment projects still has many shortcomings and limitations such as establishing, appraising, and approving investment policies and initial investment projects with inappropriate project scales, leading to adjustments to the investment scale while the total investment level remains unchanged...

From the above-mentioned shortcomings and limitations, the State Audit Office recommends handling the finances through detailed audits of 7 projects worth more than VND 3,483 billion, including recovering and paying to the state budget more than VND 1,676 billion and reducing the estimate and payment of more than VND 1,807 billion. Along with that, the State Audit Office also recommends that the Ministry of Planning and Investment request ministries, central and local agencies to proactively review and clarify the causes for each project under their management, report to synthesize and advise the Government and Prime Minister to handle according to regulations for specific cases.

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/kiem-toan-chuong-trinh-phuc-hoi-va-phat-trien-kinh-te-xa-hoi-con-nhieu-han-che-bat-cap-post523531.html