Highest public investment disbursement in recent years

The conference focused on evaluating the implementation of the 2023 public investment plan and the progress of implementing key transportation projects in the province.

Overview of the conference.

Implementing the directions of the Government, the Prime Minister, and the Resolution of the Provincial People's Council on the 2023 Public Investment Plan, right from the beginning of the year, the PPC has drastically and synchronously deployed tasks and solutions for departments, committees, branches and People's Committees of districts, towns, and cities to organize implementation. Departments, branches of the province and localities have issued specific plans and programs associated with the assignment of tasks and responsibilities of leaders in the implementation and disbursement of public investment capital. By that means, the long-standing difficulties and obstacles in disbursing public investment capital have been identified, targeted, and largely resolved. The result of capital disbursement in 2023 (in terms of absolute value) is the highest annual disbursement level since the beginning of the term (an increase of more than 9,600 billion VND compared to 2022). It is also the first time the province has disbursed all the capital assigned by the Prime Minister in just over 10 months of implementation.

Mr. Pham Trong Nhan – Director of the Department of Planning and Investment said that in 2023 the province's total State budget investment plan is 21,817 billion VND.  As of January 18, 2024, the disbursement value of public investment capital in the province reached 17,258 billion VND, reaching 79.1% of the plan assigned by the province and 141.7% of the capital plan assigned by the Prime Minister from the beginning of the year. Based on reports from investors, disbursement estimates by January 31, 2024, can reach about 86% of the plan. This would be considered as a high level in recent years.

The progress of key projects has been accelerated under the direction of the Provincial Party Standing Committee. Binh Duong has started construction on several items under the Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 3 project, arranged enough capital, and accelerated the progress of compensation and site clearance for National Highway 13, DT.746 road, etc. At the same time, it has fully prepared investment procedures and capital sources to carry out projects such as Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 4, Ho Chi Minh City - Thu Dau Mot - Chon Thanh Expressway, Binh Duong Provincial Standard Political School, etc.

The project Ring Road 3 passing through Binh Duong is under construction.

Reporting on the progress of implementing key transportation projects, Mr. Nguyen Anh Minh - Director of the Department of Transport said that the construction packages have been implemented of the Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 3 project passing through Binh Duong province are being accelerated. The remaining packages are expected to start construction in January 2024. Compensation and site clearance work will be completed in the first quarter of 2024.

The Ring Road 4 project from Thu Bien bridge to Saigon River under the PPP method has a total phase 1 investment of more than 18,247 billion VND. Transportation Works Construction Investment Project Management Authority has submitted the project feasibility study report for appraisal. The Department of Transport is continuing to implement the next steps, striving to start construction on the Ring Road 4 project on April 30, 2024.

The Ho Chi Minh City - Thu Dau Mot - Chon Thanh expressway project has a total investment capital of about 17,408 billion VND. The PPC has directed the Department of Planning and Investment to preside over and coordinate with relevant sectors to issue a project implementation plan and assigned investors to promptly complete the project feasibility study report to deploy the next steps following regulations, striving to start construction on September 2, 2024.

Projects under construction, striving to be completed in 2024 include the BOT toll station upgrading and expanding National Highway 13; the Bac Tan Uyen - Phu Giao - Bau Bang Tan Uyen - Phu Giao - Bau Bang economic corridor; upgrading and expanding DT.746 road from Tan Thanh intersection to Hoi Nghia intersection; building a bridge across Dong Nai River (Bach Dang 2 bridge). In addition, investment steps for many other important projects are being implemented such as the Saigon riverside road project, Song Than intersection, upgrading and expanding An Binh road and connecting Song Than overpass, constructing an underground tunnel at Phuoc Kien 5-way intersection, An Tay port, An Son port, etc.

Prioritize urgent, connected projects that create motivation for development

2024 is the year when the province's key projects enter the peak phase of construction and is also the fourth year of the 2021-2025 planning period. Therefore, it is necessary to focus on many transitional projects from the beginning of the term to prepare for completion. 2024 is also the year to prepare investment for the period 2026-2030.

Ensuring the progress of works and projects requires important contributions from localities, especially in compensation and site clearance. Ms. Huynh Thi Thanh Phuong - Secretary of Thuan An City Party Committee pledged that the party committee would continue to accompany the government in achieving the set goals in site clearance work. Thuan An City also wants the province to consider and soon resolve local difficulties to ensure the progress of works and projects.

Mr. Nguyen Van Loc – Chairman of the Provincial People's Council speaks at the conference.

Mr. Nguyen Van Loc – Chairman of the Provincial People's Council emphasized that focusing on infrastructure is a major policy of the country in general and of Binh Duong in particular. He requested the PPC to direct departments and branches to develop projects of promoting decentralization and decentralization, then submit it to the Provincial People's Council for consideration and approval to have a basis for implementation, contributing to speeding up the progress of works and projects. To remove current difficulties and obstacles related to projects, close coordination between investors, construction units and local authorities is needed. In addition, the role of the Fatherland Front, unions and grassroots Party branches in campaigning and setting an example is also very important. The Provincial People's Council will continue to coordinate with the PPC to review and approve the contents related to works and projects to ensure legality in implementation.

Through opinions of sectors and localities, the Chairman of the PPC Vo Van Minh highly appreciated and welcomed the results achieved in public investment and implementation of key projects in 2023. He directed sectors and levels to continue to thoroughly grasp and implement seriously, synchronously, and effectively the Resolutions, conclusions, and directions of the National Assembly, the Government, the Provincial Party Committee, the People's Council, and the PPC. It is necessary to determine the disbursement of public investment capital as the most important political task of all levels and sectors in 2024 and organize it flexibly and creatively based on assigned functions, tasks, and powers. At the same time, he strengthened the Steering Committee for implementing key projects; and the Party committees to continue to work closely with the government to urge the progress of projects and works.

Mr. Vo Van Minh - Chairman of the PPC speaks at the conference.

It is necessary to continue to build an investment priority list of industries and fields, review and cut capital plans of projects that are behind schedule, projects that are not urgent, low efficient, or ones that do not create development space to supplement capital for projects with disbursement capacity and additional capital needs so that the capital priority can be given to key projects, urgent projects that are connected, pervasive, and create motivation for development.

Agencies and units must develop progress plans with checklists and timelines for the implementation of each project, especially key projects, and assign specific responsibilities for coordination with relevant agencies and units to submit to the PPC for approval, serving as a basis for urging and supervising implementation.

In particular, the province continues to promote decentralization, decentralization, and authorization to departments, branches, localities, and investors to carry out assigned tasks. The province launches the emulation movement "Promoting disbursement of public investment capital in the province" in 2024, promptly rewarding individuals and organizations with outstanding achievements in implementation, associating disbursement results with assessment of the level of completion of assigned tasks.

At the conference, People's Committees of districts, towns, cities, and project management boards of the province signed a commitment to disburse public investment capital and commit to ensuring the implementation progress of key projects in the province.

On this occasion, the PPC awarded Certificates of Merit to 05 collectives with outstanding achievements in implementing the 2023 Public Investment Plan.

Chairman of the PPC Vo Van Minh awarded Certificates of Merit from the PPC and Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Nguyen Van Loc presented flowers to collectives with outstanding achievements in implementing the 2023 Public Investment Plan.

Localities and units signed a commitment to disburse public investment capital and commit to ensuring the implementation progress of key projects in the province.