In March, we must complete 50 tasks
On the morning of March 6, during the concluding speech at the meeting on the economic and social situation in February and the first two months of the year, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Phan Van Mai noted a decrease in certain areas and indicators in the following month compared to the previous month, which is due to the unstable nature of the recovery process.
Mai also acknowledged that departments and localities have focused on implementing tasks right from the beginning of the year, especially ending festive activities right after the Lunar New Year. “We have seen changes, focus, and results,” Mai said.
The city’s leader also shared some bright highlights and positive signals in the first days of the year, such as optimistic budget revenues and expenditures and contributions to growth; the vitality of the real estate and export markets; a positive return of laborers to the market after the Tet holiday, and so on.
However, the Chairman of the People’s Committee also admitted that there are still concerns about public investment. He said that the city’s disbursement has increased more than four times compared to the same period, but it is still low compared to the target of 10-12%, so effort must be made to achieve this task in March.
“Regarding public investment disbursement, in January, we focused on repaying the disbursement plan for 2023; February is the month of Tet; and March is when we truly begin the disbursement plan for 2024. Therefore, we must focus intensively in March to start at a high speed,” Mai analyzed.
Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Phan Van Mai concludes the meeting. Photo: TTBC TPHCM.
According to Mai, the city has disbursed over VND1,600 billion out of the remaining VND6,400 billion. If divided by 4 weeks in March, disbursement must exceed VND1,000 billion per week. This is a very challenging task, even considered unfeasible, but the focus and solution must be determined, he said.
Regarding the upcoming focus tasks, Mai requested that they be vigorously carried out with comprehensive coordination, effectiveness, supervision, and inspection for resolution.
Specifically, in March, the remaining 50 tasks of the first quarter must be completed by each department and staff, Mai noted. “Implementing the 50 tasks of the first quarter is associated with inspecting and reviewing the implementation of the plan to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and the reunification of the country,” the Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee emphasized.
Above all, the city’s leader required firm concentration and determination on the groups of solutions to promote growth, focusing first on public investment.
In this regard, all difficulties and problems must be resolved within the first quarter, and some must be addressed in the second quarter, while the remaining 6 months of the year must implement projects, alongside focus on planning work, project procedures, and capital adjustment. The disbursement target of at least 10% must be consistently maintained in the first quarter, Mai said.
Tightening discipline with contractors
Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee mentioned the issue of construction materials. According to him, the contractors have signed contracts and are responsible for ensuring construction materials. He also requested that the investors review and strictly handle some weak and non-serious contractors. In March, project management boards and investors, including districts and townships, must identify which contractors are slow, weak, and non-serious and take immediate action.
Scene at the meeting. Photo: TTBC TPHCM.
“If comrades do not resolve it, the city will handle them. We must be determined to do this,” Chairman Phan Van Mai emphasized and requested that the resolution of land clearance related work must be completed by June 30. The district and city leaders, as well as Thu Duc City, must review this task and report any difficulties to the Standing Committee and the Standing Party Committee, then work together to actively resolve the problem of public investment for the entire political system and all localities.
Furthermore, investors of public investment projects must review the plans for each project, ensuring progress according to the quarterly and annual targets of 95% and above; timely resolving difficulties and making recommendations to the city’s functional agencies or the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee to resolve them. “Do not hold on to issues until the year-end and then say it was difficult because of this or that,” Mai said.
The Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee also stressed the need to tighten discipline with contractors, consulting units, and supervisors. He clarified that for newly bid projects, especially for key projects, the contractors must complete them as soon as possible, implementing them around the clock, and, at the same time, the city must fully account for the cost of organizing bidding and supervising progress.
