Circular No. 709-TC/QLCS on guiding tasks for managing state assets in 1997

LETTER

ISSUED BY THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE NO. 709 TC/QLCS ON MARCH 4, 1997
REGARDING GUIDELINES FOR TASKS IN MANAGING
PUBLIC ASSETS IN 1997

Respectfully submitted to: Departments of Finance and Prices in provinces,

Cities directly under the Central Government

With the attention and guidance from local party committees and governments, and the efforts of finance sector officials, in 1996, the management of public assets in various regions effectively implemented several areas including administrative and public service asset management, confiscated assets, land resources, and many regions conducted appraisals of investment needs for purchasing and repairing public assets of administrative and public service agencies, contributing to thrift and waste prevention, and gradually establishing a system for managing public assets. However, compared to requirements, there remain some shortcomings in public asset management such as insufficient regulations on public asset management, and inadequate strict control over resources and infrastructure assets serving common interests.

To build upon achieved results, address existing issues, and ensure that all assets invested in or purchased from state budget sources and other state assets are strictly managed according to prescribed regulations, in 1997, the Ministry of Finance requests Directors of Departments of Finance and Prices to focus on directing the implementation of the following tasks related to public asset management:

1- Compile the results of inventorying assets of administrative and public service agencies at 00:00 on January 1, 1997; thereby proposing to the People's Committee of the province/city to rearrange material facilities for administrative and public service units, recover assets and land that have been misused or wasted for use by other units or liquidation and recovery of funds for the state budget.

2- Continue urging administrative and public service agencies directly managing and using assets such as office buildings, residential buildings, schools, hospitals, research stations... to complete files on real estate to submit to the People's Committee of the province/city for issuance of land use rights certificates and management and use certificates for office buildings (if not yet issued), and supplement files and register office buildings with the finance department. For office buildings of administrative and public service agencies owned by the state but currently managed by the housing or construction sectors, the Department of Finance and Prices should present to the People's Committee of the province/city directly under the Central Government a decision to transfer these office buildings to the finance department for management according to the regulations on management and use of office buildings of administrative and public service agencies.

Coordinate with construction and land administration sectors to inspect and report to the People's Committee of the province/city directly under the Central Government plans to resolve and handle excess office buildings and land due to mergers of agencies pursuant to Decision No. 852/TTg dated December 28, 1995 of the Prime Minister "Regarding the establishment of certain organizations at the local level."

3- Compile the situation of management and use of vehicles for work purposes by administrative and public service agencies up to December 31, 1996, and send the report to the Ministry (as required by Circular No. 391TC/QLCS dated January 31, 1997). Coordinate with the police agency to check and compare the number of vehicles reported with those registered with the police agency of administrative and public service agencies managed by the locality, and grasp the number of vehicles of central government-managed administrative and public service agencies stationed in the locality to report to the Ministry of Finance.

Based on compiling the situation of assets at administrative and public service units, and based on the provincial People's Council-approved state budget estimate and the announcement by the People's Committee, conduct an appraisal of the plan for purchasing and repairing assets and supervise and inspect the process of purchasing, repairing assets, and recording increases in assets of administrative and public service agencies.

Coordinate with relevant sectors to implement price appraisals to realize land revenue and compensation for land damage when the state recovers land; simultaneously, promptly grasp land funds for domestic and foreign organizations to lease, land for national defense and security purposes, public interest, and national interest, land for industrial zones, export processing zones... for industrial zones, export processing zones...

Through functional sectors managing resources under local jurisdiction, exploit to grasp quantities, reserves, quality... and advise local authorities to issue decisions to exploit revenues from resources.

Closely coordinate with competent agencies to manage and dispose of assets seized and transferred to the state treasury, assets established as state property according to the regulations on management and disposal of assets when there is a decision to seize and transfer to the state treasury and establish state ownership, attached to Decision No. 100 TC/QLCS dated January 23, 1997 of the Minister of Finance; report to the Ministry of Finance the results of disposal and difficulties encountered during the implementation of this regulation.

Together with related units, accurately determine the quantity and value of aid assets to record income and expenditure in the state budget. For aid assets belonging to completed projects, conduct an inventory and determine the value of assets together with project management agencies according to state regulations, and take measures to strictly manage assets after transferring them to the user unit.

Through sectors managing and using infrastructure assets, grasp the quantity of physical assets and investment capital for the following main types of assets in the locality:

+ Road system (classified by road surface quality: concrete, asphalt, gravel, graded aggregate, earth... while summarizing by each district, commune).

+ Flood control systems, canals, water reservoirs, other water conservancy works.

+ Historical, cultural, scenic spots, museums...

+ Public lighting, urban drainage and water supply systems...

10- Strengthen the management staff for the public asset management department at the Department of Finance and Prices and the county financial departments (the Ministry has directed in Circular No. 664 TC/QLCS dated March 5, 1995) to ensure sufficient capacity to fulfill assigned tasks. Specifically, the newly established provinces and cities according to the Resolution of the Ninth National Assembly, tenth session on the division and adjustment of administrative boundaries shall immediately establish a public asset management department.

To effectively implement the above public asset management tasks for 1997, the Departments of Finance and Prices need to develop specific local public asset management work programs to urge relevant sectors and levels to carry out their responsibilities; report to the People's Committee of the province to commend units that perform well and reprimand and remind units that have not fulfilled the requirements of public asset management; further intensify publicity efforts regarding the management of state assets at the local level.