Decision No. 06/2002/NQ-CP of the Government's regular meeting in April 2002

RESOLUTION

Regular Meeting of the Government in April 2002

On April 24 and the morning of April 25, 2002, the Government convened its regular meeting for April to discuss and adopt the following issues:

1. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development presented to the Government the Draft Program of Action of the Government to implement Resolution No. 5 of the Fifth Plenary Session of the Central Committee of the Party (Term IX) on accelerating industrialization and modernization of agriculture and rural areas during the period 2001-2010.

The Government determined that accelerating industrialization and modernization of agriculture and rural areas aims at building a large-scale, efficient, and sustainable agricultural production system with high productivity, quality, and competitiveness based on the application of scientific and technological progress; meeting domestic demand and export requirements; building rural areas that are increasingly prosperous, democratic, equitable, and civilized, with a reasonable economic structure, appropriate production relations, and increasingly modern infrastructure.

Implementing the Resolution of the Central Committee not only is the responsibility of the Government but also the responsibility of each Ministry, sector, locality... Therefore, Ministries, sectors, and localities need to promptly grasp the Resolution of the Central Committee, build their own Programs of Action, and direct their implementation. The Program of Action of the Government will focus only on major and important contents within the purview of the Government and the Prime Minister.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is assigned to take the lead, coordinate with the Government Office and related agencies, incorporate opinions from Government members, finalize the list of specific projects, seek additional opinions from relevant Ministries and agencies, submit to the Prime Minister for consideration and issuance of this Program of Action in May 2002.

2. The Government heard the Minister of Trade report on some policies and measures to encourage exports in 2002.

In the first quarter of 2002, alongside favorable conditions, the situation of exports faced significant difficulties. The world and regional economies recovered slowly, competition was fierce, prices of many export products remained low, complex weather patterns, severe drought limited the growth rate of our country's exports. Export turnover decreased, and some key products declined compared to the same period last year.

In light of the above situation, the Government requests the Ministries of Industry, Agriculture and Rural Development, Fisheries, enterprises, and associations to closely cooperate with localities, review the production and export situation of each product, implement more strongly and urgently the Programs of producing main export products approved by the Government; study and propose solutions to ensure quality, strive to reduce costs, enhance the competitiveness of products, and rapidly increase export turnover. Besides the measures to promote and improve the effectiveness of exports already issued, the Government continues to support and promote the consumption of agricultural products and increase income for farmers; encourage rewards based on export turnover, actively implement contracts between enterprises and farmers for product sales, pay attention to supporting inputs for farmers; actively seek and expand markets, enhance the role of trade promotion organizations; promptly provide knowledge about laws and international trade for enterprises; actively reform administrative procedures, eliminate unreasonable barriers hindering exports, and strive to increase the growth rate of exports.

3. In response to the unusual developments in the real estate market recently, the Government heard the Minister of Construction report on some urgent measures to stabilize the price of the housing and land market.

Due to many reasons, including weak state management, recently, the price of the housing and land market has sharply increased in many places, especially in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, seriously affecting the economic and social life, causing significant losses to the state budget, negatively impacting the policy of encouraging and attracting investment, disrupting planning, and making it difficult to compensate and relocate land for projects. Workers with genuine housing needs have suffered economic losses and face even greater difficulties in establishing their own homes.

Following the Prime Minister's directive, the People's Committees of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have issued specific instructions and are directing their implementation to stabilize the housing and land market, restore order and discipline, strengthen land management effectiveness, which has been supported by the people. The Government assigns related Ministries and sectors to monitor and urge these two cities in implementing the above policy, compile the situation, draw lessons to implement nationwide.

The Government requests the Chairmen of the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-administered cities to immediately conduct inspections of land management and usage situations in their respective areas; handle according to their authority cases of violations of planning and improper land usage or non-use, illegal transfer of houses and land; stop and immediately address the phenomenon of grassroots authorities confirming illegal transfers of houses and land.

The Ministry of Construction is assigned to take the lead, coordinate with related agencies, incorporate opinions from Government members, refer to the results of handling in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, study and propose improvements to measures, and develop both short-term and long-term policies.

4. The Government heard reports on the implementation of the plan in April and the first four months of 2002, and some issues requiring focused guidance in the near future, presented by the Minister of Planning and Investment; and the report on inspection work and resolution of complaints and petitions in the first quarter of 2002, presented by the State Inspector General.

The socio-economic situation in April and the first four months showed progress, maintaining development potential: industrial and service production continued to grow; disbursement of construction investment funds was satisfactory; budget revenue increased, monetary activities improved; market prices were stable; cultural and social activities continued to develop.

However, the most severe difficulty is the serious drought in the Central Highlands, South Central Coast, and Southern provinces; mass shrimp deaths in the Mekong Delta provinces along with large-scale forest fires at U Minh Thượng and U Minh Hạ National Parks have caused significant losses; export turnover has sharply decreased.

The tasks for the remaining months of 2002 are extremely arduous, requiring the Government and Ministries, sectors, and localities to make more vigorous and resolute changes in their guidance and management, striving to implement effectively the groups of solutions for economic and social development that have been proposed. Functional sectors need to closely coordinate with localities to effectively prevent smuggling; be closely involved at the grassroots level, care for the people's livelihoods, especially in areas affected by natural disasters and ethnic minority regions.

The inspection work and resolution of complaints and denunciations in the first quarter were actively, firmly, and more effectively directed by the Government. The situation of complaints going beyond jurisdiction has decreased, some long-standing cases have been resolved conclusively, contributing to stabilizing the economic and social situation.

Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies and agencies under the Government, Chairpersons of People's Committees at all levels must focus on directing and continue to implement well Directive No. 09/NQ-TW of the Politburo (Term IX) on urgent issues that need to be addressed in resolving complaints and denunciations currently. Focus on examining, concluding, and resolving collective petition cases and complex cases before the National Assembly election date (May 19, 2002), and other related cases, ensuring the successful and splendid conduct of the eleventh term National Assembly election, creating joy and confidence among the people.