Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (standing) chairs the meeting of the
Government’s permanent members on August 19 (Photo: VNA)
The event looked into the draft socio-economic development plan and State budget
estimates for 2021, the draft financial-State budget plan for 2021-2023, along
with the draft medium-term socio-economic development plan and public investment
plan for 2021-2025.
PM Phuc stressed that economic development must be ensured amid the COVID-19
pandemic so as to provide jobs and guarantee people’s livelihoods.
He also underlined the need for staying proactive in governance and plan making,
noting that facing serious impacts of COVID-19, effective and feasible solutions
are necessary to ease losses and spur economic development in both 2021 and the
medium term of 2021-2025.
He asked Government members to be unanimous to exert efforts to support
socio-economic recovery this year, as well as the following years.
Noting countries around the world have taken measures like large-scale aid
packages to minimise impacts of COVID-19, especially on people and businesses,
the PM requested ministries and sectors, especially the Ministry of Finance, the
Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social
Affairs, and localities, to devise timely support solutions that are strong
enough to help affected people and enterprises.
Those solutions must be proactive, flexible and match the “new normal”. In
particular, the fiscal and monetary policies should be more flexible to
stimulate demand, create jobs and promote growth while still maintaining
macro-economic stability, according to the Government leader.
Meanwhile, the State budget plan for 2021 should include funds for social
security policies for workers facing job losses and those in the informal
sector, and for vocational training to help labourers adapt to changes in supply
chains.
PM Phuc also requested continued assistance for certain sectors heavily affected
by the pandemic like transportation, tourism, textile-garment, health care, and
education; along with policies to encourage rational consumption.
He demanded priority be given to development investment, especially in
developing socio-economic infrastructure, including transport facilities, by
using every possible resource.
The public investment plan for 2021-2025 needs to include projects and
programmes important to national development like the ones on North-South
Expressway, coastal roads, and digital economy, he added.
Source: VNA