Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh: Promoting infrastructure projects, celebrating major national holidays

On the morning of August 8, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Head of the State Steering Committee for important national and key projects in the Transport sector (Steering Committee) chaired the 13th meeting of the Steering Committee to inspect and urge the work after the 12th meeting and discuss solutions, continue to remove difficulties and obstacles, and promote the progress of projects.

The meeting was held in person and online between the Government headquarters and 44 provinces and centrally-run cities with important national projects and key works in the transport sector.

Attending the meeting were: Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, Deputy Head of the Steering Committee; Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies; members of the Steering Committee, leaders of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and agencies under the Government; Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and cities; representatives of project management boards, investors, and contractors.

Opening the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Head of the Steering Committee, emphasized that one of the goals set by the 13th National Congress is to have 3,000km of expressways nationwide by 2025 and 5,000km of expressways nationwide by 2030. The 13th National Congress also identified 3 strategic breakthroughs, including a breakthrough in transport infrastructure.

Implementing the Party's Resolutions, the Government decided to establish a Steering Committee, identifying a list of projects that the Steering Committee will monitor and direct. Up to now, the country has 40 major projects, 92 component projects in 3 areas: road, railway and aviation, passing through 48 provinces and centrally-run cities.

After 12 meetings, the Prime Minister, Head of the Steering Committee, issued 12 conclusions; over 400 dispatches to urge and remove difficulties and obstacles to promote project implementation. Thereby, there are long-standing obstacles such as Long Thanh International Airport; North-South Expressway in the East, capital for urban railway projects, Ben Luc-Long Thanh Expressway, construction material sources, site clearance; issuance of Highway Standards; piloting of sea sand materials; conversion of rice land and forest land; progress and quality of projects ensuring requirements.

To date, 2 projects have been completed, with 12 expressway component projects with a total length of 693km passing through 15 provinces and cities, bringing the total number of expressways to about 2,021km.

On August 8, the elevated section of the Nhon-Hanoi Railway Station urban railway line officially completed commercial operation.

The projects implemented and completed will contribute to promoting socio-economic development, creating new development space for localities where the projects pass through, creating new urban and service areas, increasing land value, reducing logistics costs, facilitating travel, creating jobs and livelihoods for people, developing businesses; and creating trust and support from the people.

At the 12th meeting of the Steering Committee, the Prime Minister, Head of the Steering Committee, assigned 57 tasks to ministries, agencies and localities, including 11 time-limited tasks. At the same time, the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Ministers issued 12 documents directing the implementation of tasks related to projects and works.

Recognizing, praising and appreciating the active participation, efforts and spirit of working with all their might of ministries, branches, localities, project management boards, enterprises, construction contractors, supervision consultants, especially the team of cadres, engineers, workers and laborers directly working at project sites, the Prime Minister said that there are a number of tasks being implemented that have not been completed, and it is necessary to continue to make efforts and strive to achieve the set goals, welcome the Party Congresses at all levels, towards the 14th National Party Congress, celebrate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the country, and the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification.

The Prime Minister requested the members of the Steering Committee and delegates attending the meeting to focus on reviewing and specifically evaluating the assigned tasks and handling, directing and resolving difficulties and obstacles, promoting the progress of project implementation in the coming time.

Among them, specifically report the results of implementing the tasks, clearly state the existing problems, obstacles, difficulties, and measures to be implemented in the coming time; handle outstanding issues such as procedures for common construction material mines for projects; progress of site handover, relocation of technical infrastructure; construction status of projects under the management agency.

Along with that, review the implementation of guidance on contents according to functions and tasks on investment project appraisal procedures, capital allocation...; forest use purpose conversion; unit prices, norms, methods for determining material prices at mines; ODA capital; material exploitation, land use purpose conversion; electrical infrastructure relocation.

According to the Ministry of Transport, the Standing Agency of the Steering Committee, at the 12th meeting of the Steering Committee and conferences, the Prime Minister assigned 57 tasks to ministries, branches and localities, focusing on removing difficulties and obstacles, speeding up the progress of site clearance, and providing construction materials, especially for key transport projects in the Southern region.

To date, the units have completed 20 tasks on time. The units are actively implementing 30 tasks of regular direction and management, 1 task is not yet due, and 6 tasks have not been completed on time.