Decision No. 11/1998/NQ-CP of the Government at the regular meeting of the Government in August 1998

RESOLUTION

Regular Meeting of the Government in August 1998

On August 26 and 27, 1998, the Government convened its regular meeting for August 1998, discussed, and adopted the following issues:

1. The Government devoted considerable time to discussing the draft project "Developing Agriculture and Rural Areas during the Period of Industrialization and Modernization," presented by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. The Government highly appreciates the achievements and progress made in the field of agricultural and rural development during the process of implementing the renewal policy, along with the persistent efforts of our farmers and the remarkable efforts of various sectors and levels in guiding and organizing the implementation of tasks in this field. The Government affirms the extremely important role of agriculture, rural areas, and farmers in economic development and ensuring political and social stability during the period of industrialization and modernization of the country. However, alongside these achievements and progress, there are still some difficulties in the current agricultural and rural fields that have become pressing issues, hindering the exploitation of the great potential in agriculture and rural areas, which need to be resolved.

The Government expresses its agreement with many contents proposed in this draft project, while emphasizing that the project needs to focus on the most pressing issues to continue addressing difficulties, promoting the development of agriculture and the rural economy to a new level according to the spirit of Resolution No. 8 of the Eighth National Party Congress and Central Committee Resolutions. Strategic issues will be further clarified during the process of researching and building the strategy for 2001-2010 as directed by the Political Bureau. With this spirit, the draft project should address certain general and comprehensive issues such as rural areas and farmers; developing fisheries and salt industries; clarifying some prominent issues currently in agriculture, rural areas, and farmers related to land policies; intensifying capital mobilization; restructuring the economy and developing industry and trades; developing and applying science and technology; encouraging various economic sectors to develop production; determining effective models and methods of production organization; expanding markets for agricultural and aquatic products; building socio-economic infrastructure; solving employment and poverty reduction; implementing democratization linked with enhancing organizational capacity and effectiveness... to concentrate on resolving current difficulties, tapping internal resources, exploiting the great potential in labor, land, and resources to create new factors and driving forces for development in the agricultural and rural fields, while continuing to improve and gradually enhance the living standards of farmers.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is assigned to take the lead, together with the Ministry of Fisheries and relevant ministries and sectors, to incorporate opinions from the discussion at the meeting, coordinate with the Central Economic Commission to seek additional opinions from localities to report to the Prime Minister, and prepare to submit to the Political Bureau in September 1998.

2. The Government heard the Minister and Head of the Organization-Cadre Department of the Government present the content of the Draft Law on the Organization of People's Councils and People's Committees (Amended) and the review comments of the Ministry of Justice. Members of the Government discussed and provided many opinions on the Draft Law.

The Organization-Cadre Department of the Government, the Ministry of Justice, and the Government Office are assigned to incorporate opinions from the meeting to revise the Draft Law, seek additional opinions from members of the Government, complete the Draft Law, and report to the Prime Minister to submit to the National Assembly at the fourth session of the tenth term. In the Draft Law, it is necessary to clearly reflect the content of accelerating administrative reform, building a lean, effective state apparatus, and clarifying the division of responsibilities between central and local authorities.

3. The Government heard the Minister and Director of the Government Office report on the main contents of the Draft Program for Legislative Work for the Tenth National Assembly Term. The Ministry of Justice is assigned to take the lead, together with the Government Office, to compile and incorporate opinions from members of the Government and relevant sectors, and report to the Prime Minister to propose adjustments and supplements to the specific program for the years 1999-2000 for urgent laws and ordinances concerning economic and social development and national defense and security.

The Government requests all ministries and agencies to promptly study and build projects for laws and ordinances according to their assignments, ensuring quality, and submit them to the Government, the Standing Committee of the National Assembly, and the National Assembly for approval within the prescribed deadlines; at the same time, draft accompanying guidance documents for implementation to be submitted to the Government for approval so that the laws and ordinances can be implemented immediately upon taking effect.

At this meeting, the Ministry of Planning and Investment sent reports to the members of the Government on the economic and social situation in August and the first eight months of 1998, and the implementation of some resolutions and decisions of the Government; the situation and measures to accelerate the implementation of the basic construction investment plan for 1998, and the implementation of Resolution No. 08/1998/NQ-CP of the Government and Decision No. 107/1998/QĐ-TTg of the Prime Minister; the State Bank sent reports to the members of the Government on the implementation of the policy to adjust exchange rates from August 7, 1998.

The Government requests all ministries, sectors, and localities to continue to reorganize their organizational structures reasonably and effectively, promote improvements in work procedures, overcome bureaucratic practices, unnecessary delays, and bottlenecks, and enhance leadership and organizational capabilities to achieve a new breakthrough, contributing to the successful completion of economic and social tasks in the remaining months and throughout 1998./.