VietNamNet Bridge – National Assembly deputies yesterday reviewed the implementation of policies and laws on State investment in infrastructure for the three years lasting from 2005 to 2007.

A view of a dam under construction as part of the Son La hydroelectric plant. The first turbine of the plant is expected to begin generating power by late 2010.

In the reviewed period, the Government directed ministries and agencies to create documents guiding the implementation of laws on construction, investment, bidding and business. It also asked them to ensure the transparency and equity of the documents, reported Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc.

The Government earmarked more than VND237 trillion (US$13.9 billion) from the State budget for infrastructure construction investment during the three years.

Disbursement of capital from Government bonds reached nearly VND758 billion ($44.6 million), according to the chairman of the NA Committee for Economic Affairs, Ha Van Hien. Official development assistance (ODA) amounted to more than $4.8 billion.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development disbursed nearly around VND8 trillion ($470 million) on agricultural and rural construction investment during the period, 21 per cent more than anticipated.

The money was invested in 307 projects, particularly irrigation, agriculture, forestry, fishery and scientific and technological research.

The Ministry of Transport effectively invested VND20 trillion ($1.1 billion) in implementing many infrastructure projects to improve the transport network. Most of the money came from the State budget and ODA. VND30 trillion ($1.7 billion) was from Government bonds.

The capital was used to upgrade nearly 3,000km of national highways and more than 35,000m of bridges. It was also used to build 5,600m of wharf and port facilities to increase their capacity to handle goods to 24 million tonnes per year.

Aviation facilities were also upgraded to handle 10.5 million passengers a year.

During the period, the State budget was also used to upgrade about 250 hospitals, and to build and upgrade more than 74,200 schools and improve education quality.

Hindering progress

However, apart from these achievements, many deputies said shortcomings remained in investment in infrastructure works and that this hindered the country’s socio-economic development.

Socio-economic infrastructure in particular, such as roads, ports and hospitals in big cities, still faced overload and shortage of electricity and water. Many projects were implemented with complicated procedures, which led to low efficiency and wastefulness.

NA deputies agreed that violations still occurred in infrastructure regulations dealing with construction, environmental protection and labour and traffic safety.

Deputy Nguyen Van Hop from northern Hai Duong Province proposed that relevant ministries and agencies soon complete legal documents on construction and investment management, improve the quality of planning and strictly punish all infrastructure violations involving State money.

Northern Yen Bai Province’s deputy, Trieu Thi Binh, proposed the Government continue issuing policies and key programmes for infrastructure investment in education and health care.

She suggested measures to allow localities to choose investment projects in accordance with real conditions and demands. She said this would avoid wastefulness and simplify guiding documents.

Deputy Nguyen Thi Kha from southern Tra Vinh Province said the Government should finalise regulations on infrastructure investment, improve the quality and efficiency of management tasks - and pay attention to investment in projects benefiting the public, such as traffic, electricity and schools.

She said there was a need to increase training for staff working in infrastructure management, inspection and auditing to increase their capacity to investigate and punish any violations.

Deputy Ly Kim Khanh from southern Ca Mau Province said many planning works were of low quality and lacked feasibility. Several houses built for ethnic people in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta region, for example, were of low quality, she said.

She said often inadequate attention was paid to how projects were carried out and this led to corruption and low efficiencies. Khanh suggested the Government increase inspection and supervision by authorities and local people to avoid this.

Ha Noi deputy Pham Thi Loan said planning works should take into account the national security, energy security and cooking security while tapping the potential for each locality’s long-term development.

The role of mass media agencies also needed strengthening to ensure the transparency and efficiency of investment projects, she said.

Loan proposed the Government improve investment procedures, particularly those relating to disbursement.

(Source: Viet Nam News)