Decision No. 10/2002/NQ-CP of the regular meeting of the Government in August 2002

RESOLUTION

Resolution of the regular meeting of the Government in August 2002

On September 3 and 4, 2002, the Government convened its regular meeting for August 2002 to discuss and adopt the following issues:

1. The Government heard the Minister of Planning and Investment present the draft Action Program of the Government for the term 2002-2007.

The Action Program of the Government for the term 2002-2007 affirms the continued implementation of the Action Program to implement the Resolution of the Ninth National Party Congress, the Central Committee's Resolutions, the National Assembly's Resolutions, and the orientation of the Government's Action Program for the term 2002-2007 reported by the Prime Minister to the National Assembly, focusing on three major tasks throughout the Government's term:

First, improving the quality, efficiency, and competitiveness of the economy, with emphasis on building a system of institutions, linking production with markets, promoting export activities, actively integrating into the international economy, reforming and restructuring the economy towards industrialization and modernization, utilizing all resources effectively, ensuring rapid and sustainable economic growth.

Second, making new progress in comprehensive human development, better addressing pressing social issues, improving the social and natural environment, focusing on education and training, healthcare, poverty reduction and employment, crime prevention and eradication of social evils, and reducing traffic accidents.

Third, building a clean, strong administrative apparatus with high effectiveness, preventing and combating corruption and bureaucracy, expanding democracy, and strengthening discipline within the state administrative machinery and society.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment is tasked to lead, coordinate with the Government Office and relevant agencies, incorporate opinions from Government members, finalize the Action Program of the Government for the term 2002-2007, submit it to the Prime Minister for consideration, report to the Political Bureau and the Standing Committee of the National Assembly. Based on the Government's Action Program, ministries, sectors, and localities shall develop and implement their own Action Programs according to actual conditions.

2. The Government heard the Minister, Head of the Government Office, present the Report on "Some Issues Regarding Reform of Guidance and Management Work and Amendment of the Government's Working Regulations."

The urgent requirements of national renewal demand that the Government collective and each member of the Government, based on inheriting the experience of previous Governments, must reform and strengthen the effectiveness of guidance and management work for economic development and social administration, with a focus on enhancing the quality of building a socialist-oriented market economy institution, in line with the country's reality and the requirements of international economic integration; reform planning and program work; clearly define the functions, responsibilities, and authorities of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government agencies; implement strong decentralization to ministries and local governments; enhance supervision and inspection, emphasize discipline in implementing institutions, viewing this as a constant important task in the Government's operations. With these requirements, it is necessary to urgently amend the Government's Working Regulations, clarifying internal relationships within the Government, between the Government and the entire state administrative system and the political system of the country, ensuring smooth and effective guidance and management operations.

The Government Office is tasked to lead, coordinate with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, and relevant agencies, incorporate opinions from Government members and attending delegates, study and amend the Government's Working Regulations, submit it to the Government for consideration and approval.

3. The Government heard the Minister of Home Affairs present the draft Decree on the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of ministries and ministerial-level agencies.

Decree No. 15/CP dated March 2, 1993 of the Government stipulates the tasks, powers, and responsibilities for state management of ministries and ministerial-level agencies, detailing the provisions of the Government Organization Law 1992 and consistent with the requirements of economic and social management over the past period. Now compared to the practical requirements of the country and the provisions of the Constitution and the Government Organization Law 2001, there are many points that are no longer appropriate and need to be timely amended and supplemented in the direction of clearly defining the functions and tasks of state management of each ministry and ministerial-level agency, avoiding overlap and duplication; reducing intermediate levels; implementing a single responsibility for each ministry; clarifying the authority and responsibility of collectives and individuals, especially the authority of ministers to manage sectors and fields nationwide; promoting division of labor and decentralization...

The Ministry of Home Affairs is tasked to lead, coordinate with the Government Office and the Government's Administrative Reform Steering Committee, incorporate opinions from Government members, finalize this Draft Decree, submit it to the Prime Minister for consideration and issuance.

The Government requests ministries and ministerial-level agencies to promptly complete the draft Decree amending and supplementing the functions, tasks, and powers of their respective ministries and agencies, submit them to the Government for consideration and issuance; in the meantime, the Ministry of Home Affairs should soon submit to the Government Decrees on the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structures of newly established ministries and ministerial-level agencies.

4. The Government heard the Minister of Justice present the draft Program on Legislation and Ordinances Construction of the Government for the Eleventh National Assembly Term (2002-2007) and the year 2003; the Minister, Head of the Government Office, reported the synthesis of opinions from Government members on the draft Program.

In recent times, the legislative activities of the State have shown new changes and progress, timely institutionalizing and implementing the viewpoints and policies of the Party, basically meeting the requirements of social life, creating a legal basis for resolving urgent issues of national renewal and the people's needs, contributing to building a socialist rule-of-law state. However, the legislative program proposed is still too heavy and lacks feasibility, with implementation usually only reaching 60-70% of registered projects. Therefore, it has not ensured the synchronization and consistency of the entire legal system, guiding documents are issued slowly, and the quality of some legal documents is not high.

The situation of international economic integration is posing new requirements for the legislative activities of the Government in the 11th term. Therefore, the Legislative Program of the Government for the 2002-2007 term and 2003 must fully and promptly institutionalize Resolution No. IX of the National Party Congress and the Central Committee's resolutions on building a socialist-oriented market economy; building a rule-of-law state; administrative reform, judicial reform; actively integrating into the international economy.

Entrust the Ministry of Justice to take the lead, coordinate with the Government Office, incorporate the opinions of government members, finalize the draft Legislative Program, submit it to the Prime Minister for consideration, and report to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly.

5. The Government heard the Report on the situation of natural disasters and the guidance on prevention and mitigation from the beginning of the year to now presented by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.

From the beginning of the year to now, droughts and floods have occurred continuously across the country at high levels, over wide areas, and with complex developments, causing significant losses to the lives and property of the people and the State. Learning from previous years' experiences in disaster prevention and control, the Government has paid attention to directing relevant sectors and localities to proactively deal with natural disasters, strengthen dike maintenance work, improve flood and storm command structures, conduct dike defense drills and rescue operations, effectively implement the principle of "4 localities," and promptly respond, thus reducing many losses; relief and post-disaster recovery efforts have been carried out urgently and effectively, quickly stabilizing people's lives and restoring production.

The weather situation remains very complex and unpredictable. The Government requests ministries, sectors, and localities to enhance inspections, monitoring, and prompt handling of incidents, and develop long-term solutions to reinforce dike systems in northern provinces; reservoirs in central provinces; flood situations in the Mekong Delta; landslides and soil erosion in mountainous provinces; ensure safety for civilians, especially the elderly and children; promptly address post-disaster consequences, restore production, and stabilize people's lives.

6. The Government reviewed the Report on the implementation of the socio-economic development plan for August and the first eight months of 2002, and some guidance measures for the last four months of the year presented by the Minister of Planning and Investment.

The socio-economic situation in August and the first eight months showed progress in several fields: industrial production continued to achieve high growth rates; agriculture overcame many weather and disaster challenges, maintaining development targets; services made new advances, import-export activities in August improved compared to the previous month; investment capital and state budget revenue increased significantly; monetary activities improved, market prices were stable; social activities showed positive changes.

However, the greatest difficulty in August and the first eight months was the severe drought and major floods in some regions; export turnover remained lower than the same period last year and did not reach the planned level.

The Government, ministries, sectors, and localities need to concentrate all efforts, actively direct the implementation of measures outlined in Resolution No. 05/2002/NQ-CP dated April 24, 2002, on certain measures to implement the socio-economic development plan for 2002, find ways to overcome difficulties, promote production, investment, and exports, and strive to complete the 2002 plan tasks.