Decision No. 11/2004/NQ-CP of the Government's regular meeting in August 2004

 RESOLUTION

Regular Government Meeting in August 2004
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During two days, August 30 and 31, 2004, the Government convened its regular meeting in August to discuss and adopt the following issues:

1. The Government heard the Minister of Finance's presentation on draft Decrees regarding the method for determining land prices and the price range for various types of land, the Decree on land use fees, and the Decree on compensation, support, and resettlement when the State recovers land; and heard the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment's presentation on the draft Decree on administrative penalties in the field of land.

In recent years, implementing the Land Law of 1993, the Ordinance Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of the Land Law of 1998, and the Ordinance Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of the Land Law of 2001, land resources have been more rationally exploited and utilized for the purpose of national economic and social development. However, the current management and utilization of land in the country are facing many complex developments: the situation of buying and selling, transferring without registration to evade taxes, speculation, and profiteering is quite widespread; land prices in urban areas have increased significantly; policies on land valuation, compensation prices for land recovery, are not specific and not in line with actual conditions; related documents on land recovery still have many shortcomings and do not adequately emphasize resettlement work... which has affected the progress of land recovery for investment projects, increased production costs, and reduced the competitiveness of the economy.

Along with the Decree guiding the implementation of the Land Law of 2003, the issuance of a set of Decrees on the method for determining land prices and the price range for various types of land; land use fees; compensation, support, and resettlement when the State recovers land, and administrative penalties in the field of land aims to ensure the unified management of land resources by the Government, creating conditions to fully utilize land resources for national economic and social development.

The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment are instructed to take the lead, coordinate with the Government Office and relevant agencies to incorporate opinions from the Government meeting; seek comments from Government members to perfect the above draft Decrees and submit them to the Prime Minister for decision on promulgation.

2. The Government heard the Minister of Planning and Investment's report on the Plan for Economic and Social Development in 2005; and heard the Minister of Finance's report on the assessment of the implementation of the State budget in 2004 and the State budget estimate for 2005. The Government reviewed the reports on the results of production meetings, import-export activities, investment, and the socio-economic situation in August and the first eight months of 2004 presented by the Minister of Planning and Investment; and the report on the trade situation in August presented by the Minister of Trade.

In the first eight months of 2004, despite many difficulties and complexities in both domestic and international economic situations, the country's economy maintained a relatively high growth rate: industrial production continued to increase, services were developing to meet production and living needs; exports performed well; the economic structure was positively changing; state budget revenue exceeded the planned target; state budget expenditure for economic and social development tasks increased significantly, ensuring funding for security and defense; investment development increased and basically ensured sufficient sources to implement important emerging tasks; the social sector made significant progress; income and living standards, especially those of farmers, improved.

Alongside these achievements, the country's economy still faces many difficulties and challenges: although the economic growth rate achieved good results, the quality of growth remains low; foreign direct investment attraction decreased, implementation of investment capital was slow, disbursement rates were low; some macroeconomic balances still contained unstable factors, consumer goods and service price indices increased; the state budget revenue structure was still lacking stability, the scale of accumulation was limited, outstanding construction debts remained large; administrative reform did not meet the requirements of the renewal process; the socialization of social sectors progressed slowly and had many pressing issues.

The Government generally agrees with the economic and social development goals for 2005 outlined in the Report.

To achieve the economic and social development goals for 2005 and complete the five-year plan for 2001-2005, ministries, sectors, and localities must make great efforts to improve the business environment, promote production, and enhance competitiveness; effectively mobilize and utilize investment resources for economic growth objectives; accelerate the restructuring and shareholding of state-owned enterprises; maintain the export growth rate, and innovate public services. At the same time, further strengthen administrative reform, anti-corruption efforts, and thrift practices. Resolve citizens' complaints and petitions at the grassroots level, preventing the emergence of hotspots and complex disputes in rural areas; the State Inspectorate will cooperate with ministries, sectors, and localities to resolve complex and prolonged disputes decisively.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance are instructed to take the lead, coordinate with relevant agencies to incorporate opinions from Government members, perfect the Report on the Plan for Economic and Social Development in 2005, the Report on the Assessment of the Implementation of the State Budget in 2004, and the State Budget Estimate for 2005, and submit them to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision on submitting to the Politburo and the Standing Committee of the National Assembly.

The Government requests that ministries, sectors, and localities fully implement the guiding documents on management issued by the Government; comprehensively deploy measures to control the rate of increase in prices of goods and services; monitor cost factors of important and essential goods and materials under state management; strictly handle individuals and organizations taking advantage of fluctuations in the situation to arbitrarily raise prices for improper profit. Fully implement thrift in investment construction, production, business, and budget spending. Continue to implement measures to mobilize capital for development; intensify production and business activities, reduce production costs; strengthen inspection and audit of investment projects; suspend projects deemed ineffective; enhance proactive measures to prevent natural disasters and social evils; control and reduce traffic accidents.

3. The Government listens to the Minister of Justice presenting the draft Program on Law and Ordinance Construction in 2005; listens to the Minister and Head of the Government Office reporting on the consolidated opinions of Government members regarding this Program.

The Program on Law and Ordinance Construction in 2005 continues to institutionalize the guidelines of the Resolution of the Ninth National Party Congress, the Resolutions of the Ninth Central Committee Plenum, and the Politburo's resolutions on building a socialist rule-of-law state aimed at developing a socialist-oriented market economy; implementing administrative reform, judicial reform, actively integrating into the international economy, gradually ensuring the consistency, unity, and feasibility of the legal system to serve the renewal process in all economic and social fields, national security, defense, and ensuring citizens' freedom and democracy.

The Ministry of Justice is assigned to lead and coordinate with the Government Office to incorporate the opinions of Government members to complete the Program on Law and Ordinance Construction in 2005. The Minister of Justice, acting on behalf of the Prime Minister, will submit this Program to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly.

The Government requests that ministries and agencies responsible for drafting laws and ordinances to enhance proactivity in the preparation process of law and ordinance projects and guiding documents in a comprehensive manner, ensuring progress and high quality.

4. The Government listens to the Minister of Trade presenting the draft Law on Trade (amended); listens to the Minister and Head of the Government Office reporting on the consolidated opinions of Government members regarding the above-mentioned draft Law.

The Trade Law of 1997 has had positive impacts on the country's economic and social life, gradually bringing trade activities into order, encouraging the development of legitimate trade activities, and preventing illegal acts that negatively affect the trade environment.

However, up to now, the Trade Law has revealed limitations that need to be supplemented and amended to better suit reality. The supplementation and amendment of the Trade Law aim to create favorable conditions for the development of trade activities in a socialist-oriented market economy; improve the enforceability and transparency of the Trade Law and create a legal framework conducive to developing a fair business environment, ensuring the rights and legitimate interests of traders and consumers, maximizing the resources of all economic sectors to serve the country's economic and social development; creating favorable conditions for the process of economic integration and enhancing the effectiveness of state management over trade activities.

The Ministry of Trade is assigned to lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Justice and the Government Office to incorporate the opinions of Government members to complete the draft Law on Trade (amended). The Minister of Trade, acting on behalf of the Prime Minister, will submit this draft Law to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly.

5. The Government listens to the Minister of Education and Training report on the education situation.

In recent years, the country's education sector has achieved many significant accomplishments; a relatively well-developed education system has been established both in terms of educational infrastructure and the educational level of the people. Universal primary education has been basically completed, many regions have completed universal lower secondary education, and are striving to achieve universal upper secondary education according to national standards. The proportion of workers trained in vocational skills has significantly increased. However, the education work still fails to meet the learning needs of the people and the requirements for human resource development to serve the country's industrialization and modernization process. The scale and structure of training remain imbalanced, the quality of education is not comprehensive, many areas lag behind advanced countries in the region and worldwide; the content and curriculum of education are heavy and slow to change; teaching methods are imposed, failing to promote students' creativity; there are persistent negative phenomena in education management causing public dissatisfaction.

To develop education work, in the future, efforts should focus on reforming and improving the quality of education management, promoting socialization in education, and strengthening international cooperation to develop educational infrastructure; continuing to perfect the national education system, expanding the network of schools; improving the quality of teachers, innovating teaching methods, content, and curricula.

The Ministry of Education and Training is assigned to lead and coordinate with the Government Office to incorporate opinions from the Government meeting, organize additional consultations with ministries, sectors, localities, educators, and National Assembly Delegations to complete the report and submit it to the Prime Minister for decision on submission to the National Assembly.

6. The Government listens to Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem presenting a summary report of the Ministries of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, Education and Training, and the Ethnic Minorities Commission on the results of inspecting the implementation of Program 135, Poverty Reduction Program, and School Infrastructure Strengthening Program.

The Government generally agrees with the contents of these reports and consents to their approval.