Tra Vinh scales up support to resume key operations

Tra Vinh offers favourable conditions to accelerate wind power projects in the province

According to Tra Vinh Department of Planning and Investment, in the first three quarters this year many economic sectors in the province have come close to accomplishing key tasks set out by the committee, particularly regarding investment promotion and business support through innovative reforms.

Along with this, efforts were geared towards building video clips to present projects in the investment wish-list and the immense potential of Tra Vinh’s marine economy, in which the province worked with the Ministry of Planning and Investment to develop a guidebook about the potential, advantages, and investment opportunities in the province.

Other activities involve hosting an online seminar calling for Japanese investors in the province and launching a website on investment promotion in Vietnamese-Japanese language. Moreover, the province wants to set up a taskforce to support investors and its action plan in a bid to help businesses quickly and effectively, and work on a comprehensive plan to uphold startups and innovation in Tra Vinh, among others. This year, the province has hailed 39 domestic and foreign investors in quest of investment opportunities in multiple fields as logistics, deepwater seaports, energy, tourism, and agriculture.

The steering committee has categorised four specific index groups to deliver an inclusive picture about the improvements and limitations in the province’s PCI ranking in the past quarters and the year as a whole.

Accordingly, the component index group improved scoring and ranking six indices last year, showing that the local authorities handled their tasks effectively, particularly in dealing with the procedures on business registration.

All business records were received and given back to businesses timely. The required time for these processes was shortened by one day while online registrations reached 63.4 per cent on average in the third quarter, higher than the nine-month average level of over 53 per cent.

Some index groups had improved scoring but gained a lower ranking in 2020 (unofficial charges index), wherein sectors have strengthened inspection of staff performance to best serve businesses. Four inspections took place in Q3, affecting 22 businesses.

Other index groups with lower scoring but improved ranking in 2020 included transparency and labour training. Despite the pandemic, Tra Vinh has supported businesses and labourers to access policy benefits.

However, due to social distancing, fewer labourers received jobs in Q3. More than 16,600 workers were employed so far this year, reaching over 72 per cent of the projection, while nearly 300 others went abroad to work, equalling more than 32 per cent of the projection.

Unemployment allowance was approved for 11,340 workers with a total sum of $7.93 million.

The index group with lower scoring and ranking in 2020 refers to the business support index. Due to the pandemic, a string of trade fairs and market activities were suspended, causing difficulties to goods’ consumption.

Le Thanh Binh, Deputy Chairman of Tra Vinh People’s Committee and deputy chairman of the steering committee, voiced the need to take actions on removing hardships that hinder index improvement. He further urged to enhance management quality and operation efficiency of the committee, striving to constitute an increasingly open, transparent, and conducive business environment, thus boosting the province’s appeal in the eyes of investors and businesses.

The PCI ranking is instrumental to attracting investment and facilitating the provincial development. As COVID-19 is gradually put under control, business support makes greater sense, and should be considered part of the local authorities’ responsibility. The PCI proves imperative for the people’s committees of the grassroots level across the province to scale up efforts to effectively fulfill their tasks detailed in the plan of Tra Vinh People’s Committee and others by relevant governmental agencies.