The government should have stricter control over large public infrastructure projects, which for the most part are poorly planned and badly managed, National Assembly (NA) representatives said Wednesday.

Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen from Phu Tho Province said many haphazard zoning schemes for public projects were drawn up just to get state money.

Nguyen Viet Lenh, a member of the NA’s Committee for Culture, Education, Youth and Children, said the lack of project transparency muddles the management process.

Many agencies don’t want to publicize concrete details of projects because it makes it easier to make changes or ask for more funding, Lenh said.

Some NA members said several localities were too “eager” to take on large-scale projects without considering the corollary effect on the state budget.

Da Nang City’s representative Nguyen Ba Thanh said local authorities invested in unfeasible projects because they had the government’s safety net to fall back on.

“It’s like someone getting pregnant and knowing her parents would take care of her,” Thanh said.

Statistics from the Ministry of Planning and Investment show that of all localities nationwide, only nine provinces spent less than their state allotted funding for infrastructure projects.

The office said some projects were not even put into use after being completed.

Representatives urged the government to hold local authorities responsible for improper investment decisions.

“This is a huge problem but we have only ourselves to blame,” Tran Du Lich from Ho Chi Minh City said.

Reported by Xuan Toan