PM: reforms needed for growth

Staff at the Hai Phong City Customs Department use an automated systemcalled VNACCS/VCIS. The Government urged localities to speed up administrative reforms by eliminating bureaucratic procedures related to taxes, customs and land.- VNA/VNS

Restructuring would continue, especially at big economic groups and weak-performing commercial banks, he said, vowing that the Government would organise a national conference on restructuring public investments.

Without significant improvements, the country would likely fall short of its growth target given troubles such as weak aggregate demand and a shortage of funds to balance out ODA projects, Head of the Government Office Nguyen Van Nen said after the meeting.

The Government would soon be more active when it came to measuring businesses' and individuals' satisfaction with administrative procedures, he added.

The PM asked ministries, sectors and localities to eliminate obstacles for businesses and improve the investment environment. He said the Government would issue a resolution on tax solutions and the National Assembly would consider the application of preferential corporate taxes in the supporting industry.

In addition, he highlighted the importance of streamlining administrative procedures, especially those related to taxes, customs, business registration, land and construction, and told ministries and relevant agencies to evaluate the feasibility of applying the "one-stop shop" model nationwide as soon as possible.

Cabinet members agreed that special attention should be given to the restructuring of State-owned enterprises, pointing out that the process remained slow. Meanwhile, they asserted the need to speed up the disbursement of Foreign Direct Investment and Official Development Assistance and combat cross-border smuggling.

Regarding the issue of Vietnamese workers in Libya, the Government has asked the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to keep a close watch on the situation as it developed and prepare plans to ensure the workers' safety. As many as 1,750 Vietnamese workers were sent to Libya in 2013.

Head of Government Office Nen also discussed the ruptured pipeline bringing water from the Da River to Ha Noi, which affected thousands of people. The Government had instructed the Construction Ministry to work with Ha Noi authorities to investigate the case, he said.

In another matter, Minister of Education Pham Vu Luan said the Ministry was finalising reforms under which high school graduates would likely take one university entrance exam starting in 2015.