Quickly remove obstacles in implementing and disbursing national target programs

Comrade Lo Van Tien, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, inspected the green hemp planting model using production support funds from national target programs in Lao Xa Phinh commune, Tua Chua district.

Implementing the national target programs, in 2024, the whole province completed the detailed allocation of nearly 2,006 billion VND, reaching 95.2% of the plan; of which, investment capital was allocated 92.4%, and public capital was allocated in detail 100%.

However, the implementation process in localities has encountered many difficulties and obstacles, especially with regard to the capital source for the Socio-Economic Development Program for Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas. Typically, in Dien Bien district in 2023, the capital source for the Socio-Economic Development Program for Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas was only disbursed at 18%. Since the beginning of 2024, the capital source for all 3 programs has not been disbursed.

Leaders of Dien Bien district proposed to promptly remove difficulties and obstacles related to production support projects under national target programs, at the conference of the Steering Committee of National Target Programs of the province held on March 21.

Mr. Bui Hai Binh, Chairman of Dien Bien District People's Committee, said: Currently, the purchase of breeding animals to support production according to the provisions of the Law on Animal Husbandry, according to the production process, is facing many difficulties and cannot be implemented. In addition, Circular No. 55/2023/TT-BTC dated May 18, 2023 of the Ministry of Finance stipulates the management, use and settlement of career funds from the State budget to implement national target programs for the period 2021 - 2025, currently some departments and branches do not have specific instructions. Regarding the capital source of the Sustainable Poverty Reduction Program, the district is facing difficulties related to Document No. 1516/TCGDNN-KHTC dated July 31, 2023 of the General Department of Vocational Education (Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs) stating that the vocational education - continuing education center is not a vocational education institution, so the district is stopping and not allocating capital for implementation.

Tua Chua district leaders inspect the support of agricultural production machinery in Sin Chai commune from the sustainable poverty reduction program. (Photo courtesy)

Tua Chua district also encountered difficulties in the implementation and disbursement of national target programs. Mr. Nguyen Minh Tuan, Vice Chairman of the district People's Committee, said: Regarding investment capital, in the first 3 months of this year, the Socio-Economic Development Program for Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas disbursed 4.5%; the Sustainable Poverty Reduction Program disbursed 4.6%; the career capital of these two programs has not been implemented yet. Particularly for the New Rural Development Program, both investment capital and career capital have not been disbursed.

During the implementation process, there were no units or enterprises creating a chain of links, but mainly supporting the community, leading to difficulties in implementing the contents. The production support project, the district encountered difficulties in determining the standards of breeding animals. In addition, there were no technical and economic standards commonly applied to national target programs, so the implementation process was difficult. The New Rural Development Program, the mechanism requires strict requirements on land and management. Therefore, some units proposed for support have submitted applications to stop participating in the support.

The provisions of the new Bidding Law affect the progress of project implementation and disbursement of investment capital for national target programs.

Not only Dien Bien or Tua Chua districts, but most localities in the province are facing difficulties in implementing national target programs, especially in terms of public capital. Therefore, in the first 3 months of this year, the whole province has only disbursed 3.91% of the plan; of which, development investment capital disbursed reached 6.3% and public capital disbursed 660 million VND, reaching 0.08% of the plan.

In 2024, Dien Bien province is determined to strive to disburse 100% of the capital plan, especially the capital source in 2022 and 2023 extending to 2024. At the conference on implementing the national target programs in 2024, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Lo Van Tien requested departments, branches and localities to strengthen inspection and supervision; review beneficiaries, avoid overlapping between policies leading to failure to disburse. The functional branches urgently advise the Provincial People's Committee to concretize Resolution No. 111/2024/QH15 of the National Assembly on specific mechanisms for implementing national target programs. For the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, advise the Provincial People's Committee to issue technical and economic norms for production support projects.

Currently, the capital to support ethnic minorities under the Socio-Economic Development Program for Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas has not been disbursed. In the photo: A corner of Pung Bon village - Cong ethnic village (Pa Thom commune, Dien Bien district).

The province also requested central ministries and branches to guide the implementation of the provisions in Clause 2, Article 3 of Circular No. 55/2023/TT-BTC dated August 15, 2023 "For the purchase of plants, livestock and goods and services directly produced by people". Currently, organizing bidding and purchasing products such as plant varieties and animal breeds in the province to implement production development support projects is facing many difficulties because there are no facilities in the area that meet the requirements for buffalo and cow breeds. While purchasing at some facilities outside the province to meet the regulations of the Law on Animal Husbandry, the price of breeds is high and difficult to adapt to the living environment.

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