Joint Circular No. 18/2009/TTLT-BTNMT-BNV-BTC guiding the implementation of Decision No. 78/2009/QD-TTg dated May 15, 2009 of the Prime Minister on special allowances for meteorological and hydrological officials under the natural resources and environment sector.

JOINT CIRCULAR

Guidelines for Implementing Decision No. 78/2009/QD-TTg dated May 15, 2009

of the Prime Minister on Special Allowances for Meteorological and Hydrological Officers and Staff under the Natural Resources and Environment Sector

Based on Decree No. 48/2008/NĐ-CP dated April 17, 2008 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Interior;

Pursuant to Decree No. 25/2008/NĐ-CP dated March 4, 2008 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment;

Based on Decision No. 78/2009/QD-TTg dated May 15, 2009 of the Prime Minister stipulating special allowances for meteorological and hydrological officers and staff under the natural resources and environment sector;

Pursuant to Decree No. 118/2008/NĐ-CP dated November 27, 2008, of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Finance;

Based on Decision No. 245/2006/QD-TTg dated October 27, 2006 of the Prime Minister promulgating the Regulation on Tropical Depression, Typhoon, and Flood Reporting;

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Interior, and the Ministry of Finance provide guidelines for implementing special allowances for meteorological and hydrological staff under the natural resources and environment sector as follows:

1. Meteorological and hydrological staff directly participating in observation and measurement shifts at stations such as: Meteorology, Hydrology, Marine Hydrometeorology, Environment, Radio Sounding, Upper Air, Radar Weather during days with tropical depression, typhoon, and flood.

Article 1. Scope and Applicability

2. Meteorological and hydrological staff directly participating in weather and marine forecasting shifts during days with tropical depression, typhoon, and flood.

3. Staff directly participating in typhoon reconnaissance and surveying by aircraft or ships.

Article 2. Allowance for Tropical Depression Observation, Typhoon Observation, and Flood Measurement

1. A rate of 75,000 VND/person/day shall be applied to staff directly participating in flow measurement (Q) or suspended sediment flow measurement (R) shifts when there is flooding at hydrological stations or at slow flood level measurement points to serve flood distribution forecasts using boat or canoe measuring equipment.

2. A rate of 50,000 VND/person/day shall be applied to the following subjects:

a) Staff directly participating in tropical depression and typhoon observation shifts during days affected by tropical depression and typhoon at Meteorology Stations, Weather Radar Stations, Radio Sounding Stations, Upper Air Stations, Meteorology-Marine Hydrometeorology Stations, and Hydrological Stations.

b) Staff directly participating in flow (Q) or suspended sediment flow (R) measurement shifts when there is flooding at hydrological stations using boat-based measuring equipment.

c) Staff directly participating in weather forecasting, marine weather forecasting, and hydrological forecasting shifts (including those directly ensuring communication systems for forecasting operations) at the Central Weather Forecast Center, the Central Information Technology Center for Weather and Hydrology, Forecast Departments, Machine and Equipment Information Technology Departments at Regional Meteorological and Hydrological Stations, and Provincial and Municipal Meteorological and Hydrological Centers under the Central Government.

3. A rate of 30,000 VND/person/day shall be applied to the following subjects:

a) Staff directly participating in flow (Q) or suspended sediment flow (R) measurement shifts at hydrological stations using bridge-based measuring equipment.

b) Staff directly participating in flood water level (H) measurement shifts when there is flooding at hydrological stations, regardless of whether the station uses boats, canoes, specialized vessels, rafts, or bridges, or sea level measurement when there is a typhoon or tropical depression.

4. Actual working days directly involved in observation shall be counted for allowance, including:

a) For staff mentioned in Clause 1, Point b Clause 2, and Point a Clause 3 of this Article: the allowance counting day is a day directly participating in at least one shift measuring flow (Q) or suspended sediment flow (R) when the river water level (H) exceeds flood warning level II or higher for non-tidal rivers and tidal rivers, and flood warning level III or higher for stations on the Mekong River system.

b) For staff mentioned in Point a Clause 2 of this Article: the allowance counting day is a day directly participating in at least one tropical depression and typhoon observation shift during days affected by tropical depression and typhoon.

c) For staff mentioned in Point c Clause 2 of this Article: the allowance counting day is a day directly producing at least four typhoon and tropical depression forecast bulletins or a day when at least one station within the forecast range has typhoon observation or a day when at least one station on the river system implements water level observation from 12 observations per day or higher, and flood warning level II or higher for non-tidal rivers and tidal rivers, and flood warning level III or higher for stations on the Mekong River system.

d) For staff mentioned in Point b Clause 3 of this Article: the allowance counting day is a day directly participating in at least one water level observation shift when the river water level (H) exceeds flood warning level II or higher for non-tidal rivers and tidal rivers, and flood warning level III or higher for stations on the Mekong River system.

d) For officials mentioned in point b, Clause 3 of this Article: the date eligible for allowance payment is the working day directly participating in at least one shift of water level monitoring when the water level (H) on the river during flood exceeds the Flood Warning Level II or higher for non-tidal river sections and tidal-influenced river sections; Flood Warning Level III or higher for stations on the Mekong River system.

Article 3. Allowance for tropical depression surveillance, typhoon monitoring, and marine survey using aircraft and ships

Clause 1. Officials conducting tropical depression surveillance, typhoon monitoring, and surveys using aircraft shall be entitled to an allowance of 100,000 dong per person per actual working day.

Clause 2. Officials conducting tropical depression surveillance, typhoon monitoring, and surveys using ships shall be entitled to the following allowances:

Point a. Days with typhoons: 100,000 dong per person per actual working day;

Point b. Days without typhoons: 70,000 dong per person per actual working day.

Article 4. Monthly food subsidy for officials working at meteorological stations and meteorological-hydrological stations under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment

Clause 1. A full monthly food subsidy equivalent to the meal standard of non-commissioned officers in the military shall be provided to officials working at the following Meteorological Stations and Meteorological-Hydrological Stations: Trường Sa, Song Tử Tây, Hoàng Sa, Sinh Tồn, DK1-7, DK 1-10, Hòn Tre (Kiên Giang Province), Thổ Chu, Hòn Mê, Cồn Cỏ, and Cù Lao Chàm.

Clause 2. A monthly food subsidy equal to 50% of the meal standard of non-commissioned officers in the military shall be provided to officials working at the following Meteorological Stations and Meteorological-Hydrological Stations: Bạch Long Vỹ, Cô Tô, Hòn Dấu, Hòn Ngư, Lý Sơn, Phú Quý, Côn Đảo, and Phú Quốc.

Clause 3. The food subsidy shall be calculated based on the actual number of days worked at the locations specified in Clauses 1 and 2 of this Article.

Article 5. Source of funds and method of payment for special allowances

Clause 1. The source of funds for implementing the special allowance system for meteorological and hydrological officials under the natural resources and environment sector as stipulated in Articles 2, 3, and 4 of this Circular shall be allocated within the annual state budget estimate of the agency with the beneficiaries according to the State Budget Law.

Clause 2. The allowance for tropical depression observation, typhoon observation, and flood observation as stipulated in Article 2 of this Circular shall be paid in the following month or quarter and shall not be used to calculate social insurance contributions, health insurance, unemployment insurance, and trade union fees.

Clause 3. The allowance for typhoon surveillance, tropical depression surveillance, and marine surveys using aircraft and ships as stipulated in Article 3 of this Circular shall be paid in the following month or after the completion of the mission and shall not be used to calculate social insurance contributions.

Clause 4. The food subsidy as stipulated in Article 4 of this Circular shall be paid concurrently with the monthly salary.

Article 6. Implementation Organization

Clause 1. This Circular shall take effect from December 1, 2009, and replace Circular No. 129/LB-TT dated March 26, 1996, issued by the Government Organizational and Cadre Department, the Ministry of Finance, and the General Directorate of Meteorology and Hydrology guiding the implementation of Decision No. 819/TTg dated December 14, 1995, of the Prime Minister regarding certain special allowances for civil servants and officials in the meteorological and hydrological sector.

Clause 2. The special allowances for meteorological and hydrological officials under the natural resources and environment sector as stipulated in Articles 2, 3, and 4 of this Circular shall be effective from July 1, 2009.

During the implementation process, if there are any difficulties, units should report to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment for coordination with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Finance to study and resolve them./.