Government leader sets deadlines for major national tasks

Hanoi (VNA) - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has set clear deadlines for three major tasks of eliminating makeshift and dilapidated houses nationwide, advancing key national transport projects, and accelerating the disbursement of public investment capital for 2025, according to a notice from the Government Office.

Regarding the task of eliminating substandard houses nationwide, the PM directed the Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs to continue updating and clearly identifying difficulties and obstacles facing localities to proactively address them within its authority.

The Ministry of Construction was tasked with urging localities to promptly implement housing support for people with meritorious service to the revolution and relatives of martyrs; as well as for poor and near-poor households under the national target programme on sustainable poverty reduction, ensuring completion of the assigned targets ahead of July 27, 2025, and August 31, 2025, respectively.

For localities where the construction of makeshift and dilapidated houses have yet to be started, the work must be completed and hand over the houses to residents before August 15, 2025.

Regarding the key national transport infrastructure projects, the Government leader requested the Ministry of Finance to direct the Vietnam Expressway Corporation (VEC) to accelerate the preparation of the feasibility study report for the project to expand the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh expressway section, with approval targeted for July 2025. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Construction was tasked with completing all necessary procedures to commence Dau Giay – Tan Phu expressway project in August 2025.

The capital of Hanoi and the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong were requested to complete all procedures to start construction of the third component project of the Ring Road No. 4 project in Hanoi in July 2025; and the Tan Phu – Bao Loc and Bao Loc – Lien Khuong expressway projects on August 19, 2025.

Relevant provinces were asked to take decisive action and apply technical solutions to shorten construction time, ensuring the completion of the third and fifth component projects of Ho Chi Minh City’s Ring Road No.3; the first component project of the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau expressway; the Tuyen Quang – Ha Giang expressway; and the third sub-project of the Khanh Hoa – Buon Ma Thuot expressway by 2025.

Meanwhile, Can Tho city, and Lang Son, and Cao Bang provinces were tasked with directing investors and contractors to proactively resolve difficulties, increase manpower and equipment to speed up the construction progress on the Chau Doc – Can Tho – Soc Trang expressway; the Huu Nghi – Chi Lang expressway, and the Dong Dang – Tra Linh expressway.

The Ministry of National Defence and the People’s Committee of Phu Tho province were urged to accelerate the construction of Phong Chau bridge, striving to complete by October 2025.

Regarding Gia Binh airport, the Ministry of Public Security, the People’s Committee of Hanoi, and the People’s Committee of Bac Ninh province were ordered to mobilise resources and resolutely direct the construction of the project, its connecting road to Hanoi, ensuring that the progress meets the set timeline.

For Long Thanh International Airport, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Construction were tasked with directing the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) and relevant agencies to build on the progress made, ensure strict control over quality and labour safety, and carry out the construction in a rational and efficient manner, with the goal of basically completing the project in 2025.

Regarding the disbursement of public investment capital, the PM stressed that this is one of the key political tasks of 2025 and will serve as a basis for the annual evaluation and ranking of officials, public servants, and employees.

Accelerating disbursement must go hand in hand with ensuring the quality, and technical and aesthetic standards of projects; workplace safety; and strict control to prevent cost overruns, corruption, misconduct, losses, and wastefulness, PM Chinh noted.

He requested proactive inspection and prompt resolution of any arising issues directly at the units, construction sites, and project locations, ensuring timely, flexible, and effective settlement.

The PM emphasised the need to review and clearly identify shortcomings and weaknesses at each stage, from direction, operation, management and implementation of each project, thereby promptly handling difficulties, especially in investment procedures, land clearance and compensation, acceptance testing, and the settlement of investment capital. He also requested regular review and timely reallocation of funds from projects with slow disbursement to those with good disbursement performance and additional funding demand, in accordance with regulations.

Ministries, central agencies, and localities were requested to continue reviewing investment procedures that can be streamlined, as well as identifying institutional obstacles related to project implementation and public investment disbursement./.