Public investment from the State budget should focus on disadvantaged areas: NA Standing Committee

The National Assembly (NA)’s Committee for Finance and Budget proposed prioritising public investment sourced from the State budget in the 2021-25 period to disadvantaged areas in the mountainous, border and island localities to shorten development gaps between regions.

NA chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân chairs the meeting. – VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI – The National Assembly (NA)’s Committee for Finance and Budget proposed prioritising public investment sourced from the State budget in the 2021-25 period to disadvantaged areas in the mountainous, border and island localities to shorten development gaps between regions.

At the NA Standing Committee’s meeting on Saturday, Nguyễn Đức Hải, chairman of the Committee of Finance and Budget, said public investment should be allocated to disadvantaged areas in the northwest, Central Highlands and southwestern regions and focus on responding to climate change and saline intrusion.

Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyễn Chí Dũng said the allocation of public investment capital is to restructure investment, sectors and regions and to focus resources on important national infrastructure projects.

The budget must ensure equality for mountainous, border, island and ethnic minority areas and avoid wastefulness, he said.

NA chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân said practical conditions of localities should be added to the list of criteria to determine public investment rate.

Discussing the renewal of general education’s curriculum and textbooks, the NA’s Committee for Culture, Education, Youth, Adolescents and Children asked the Ministry of Education and Training to pay more attention to textbook prices which is an issue concerning the public.

The committee also proposed Government launch policies to assist educational facilities in the disadvantaged, ethnic minority areas as well as supply textbooks to school libraries.

Preparations for big event

As the ninth session of the 14th NA will kick off on May 20, the NA Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân asked NA committees and delegations to study documents and implement their assigned tasks. The NA Office has been assigned to make technical preparations and take COVID-19 prevention and control measures to ensure the meetings run smoothly.

The ninth session will he held online and offline and last until June 19. – VNS