Budget allocation must have full procedures to be able to be implemented.

(TN&MT) - Speaking to explain and clarify a number of issues raised by National Assembly deputies, Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc agreed with the opinions of National Assembly deputies stating that budget allocation and development investment plans must be innovated in form and method. However, the Deputy Prime Minister said that according to the law, budget allocation must have full procedures to be implemented.

On the morning of November 5, at the National Assembly House, continuing the 8th Session, under the chairmanship of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, the National Assembly discussed in the hall the implementation of the state budget in 2024, the state budget estimate, the central budget allocation plan in 2025 and many other important contents. Minister of Finance, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc explained and clarified a number of issues raised by National Assembly deputies.

Minister of Finance, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc explained and clarified a number of issues raised by National Assembly deputies.

At the meeting, Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc highly appreciated the contributions of the National Assembly deputies on the implementation of the 2024 state budget, the state budget estimate, and the central budget allocation plan for 2025. According to the reflection of the National Assembly deputies, the budget allocation and development investment plan must be innovated in form and method. However, according to the law, the budget allocation must have full procedures to be implemented. The same is true for regular expenditures, there must be an approved estimate and unit price.

The allocation of expenditure for science and technology must also have an approved budget and norms. In the coming time, the Government will innovate in regular and investment expenditures. Accordingly, the provinces will allocate the budget according to regulations. After that, the Ministry of Finance will re-examine...

Regarding the issue of saving regular expenses, it is mainly saving in economic activities, urban activities, shopping, business expenses, conferences, small purchases, but salary and salary allowances are almost impossible to save. Regular expenses for salary payment account for 45%, the remaining 65% is other expenses.

Delegates attending the meeting

To reduce regular expenditures, the Government has directed ministries, branches and units to reduce business travel expenses, expenses at conferences, seminars and receptions. This year, the Government has also reported that the whole country has saved about 7,000 billion VND in regular expenditures. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc said that the Government Standing Committee is currently directing the saving of public investment expenditures. Previously, in the years 2009 - 2011, the Government had done this, and now, this work has been restarted, specifically saving from estimated norms to construction norms, saving in preservation, construction and transportation. This issue will be included in the bidding documents for organizing bidding.

Regarding the difficulties in public investment and regular expenditure, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Ho Duc Phoc said that there are currently shortcomings such as the lack of land for leveling, because according to regulations, land is a mineral, so it must follow the general process for minerals. The Deputy Prime Minister said that it is necessary to amend the regulations accordingly, or if the old viewpoint is still maintained, it is necessary to stipulate that land and mines be granted to contractors constructing the road only for the purpose of building the road, prohibiting selling to the outside, and closing the mine immediately after completing the construction work. The Government will submit to competent authorities to decide on amending and supplementing this regulation.

Regarding the land use fee collection procedure, the Deputy Prime Minister said that in practice, this procedure is not complicated, but only slow due to the slow determination of land prices. When there is no land price, the tax authority cannot issue land use fee collection invoices. Therefore, the land price determination stage is the key issue. In addition, the land use fee of the whole country accounts for 45% of the total tax debt of the whole country, this is bad debt, the penalty for late payment is many times higher than the principal debt. This is an issue that needs to be addressed and resolved.

Regarding financial autonomy, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc said that there are different levels of autonomy such as: partial autonomy, regular autonomy, and comprehensive autonomy. Recently, some comprehensively autonomous units such as Bach Mai Hospital and K Hospital have requested partial autonomy, and the Government has agreed. These are end-of-line hospitals, serving the examination and treatment work, ensuring the health of the people, so they need support. Regarding the management of assets in public service units, the Law on Management and Use of Public Assets has specific and open regulations, allowing joint ventures and leasing, but not losing state assets.

In his concluding remarks, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Duc Hai said that during the discussion, 11 delegates spoke and 1 delegate debated. The Ministry of Finance and the Deputy Prime Minister participated in explaining many issues of interest to voters and National Assembly delegates. Overall, the discussion was lively, frank and responsible.

Source: https://baotainguyenmoitruong.vn/pho-thu-tuong-ho-duc-phoc-phan-bo-ngan-sach-phai-co-day-du-cac-thu-tuc-thi-moi-co-the-thuc-hien-duoc-382710.html