PM: Gov’t resolutions must be concretized

The Government convenes its February 2013 regular meeting in Ha Noi on February 28, 2013 – Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

In February and two first months of 2013, many progressive outcomes have been obtained in stabilizing prices and market, promoting production and saving the real estate market.

February’s CPI only rose 1.32% against January, posting the lowest rate in four years.

Due to the long Tet holiday, export and import turnovers this month are estimated to drop 34.63% and 38.3% respectively against January. However, the two-month export turnover still reaches over US$18.97 billion, up 23.9% compared to the same period of. The figure of import is nearly US$ 17.3 billion, up 10.2%.

The index of industrial production in January-February has grown by 6.8% against the same period of 2012.

Especially, during the traditional Tet holiday, social welfare was boosted. Nearly 1.9 million credited people received gifts, worth more than VND393.5 billion and 18 provinces were provided with 29,092 tons of rice.

Average CPI in the first two months of 2013 (period 2004-2013) - Source: GSO

Cabinet members agreed to continue monitoring prices and market, securing supplies and circulation of goods, especially food and foodstuffs, in order to keep inflation lower than 2012.

They also discussed solutions to facilitate production and business activities, stimulate consumption and reduce inventories, expand markets, clear bad debts and realize social welfare policies.

Concluding the meeting, PM Nguyen Tan Dung urged ministries, sectors and localities to further concretize Resolutions 01/NQ-CP and 02/NQ-CP through specific measures in order to bring them into the life.

He underlined solutions to stimulate production, business, investment and market expansion, describing them as the foundation to maintain economic recovery.

It is necessary to implement public investments, said the Government chief, and design programs and strategies to draw more foreign investment capital.

He agreed to tighten price and market management, fight smuggling, and prevent the scarcity of goods, especially primary ones.

The State Bank was asked to drastically restructure the banking system and clear bad debts while lowering lending interest rate in favor of production and business activities.

The PM also required ministries, sectors and local governments to guarantee social security and welfare for credited people, the poor, ethnic groups and dwellers in mountainous and remote areas.

Job generation, anti-corruption, traffic safety, prevention of human and animal epidemics, and protection of Vietnamese exports should receive due attention, PM Dung concluded.

By Hoang Hong Hanh