Adjust investment policies for key transportation projects

At the meeting, Resolutions to create a legal basis to accelerate the implementation of key public investment projects in the province were considered and approved. In particular, those are Committing local budget capital and adjusting and supplementing investment policies for the Ho Chi Minh City - Chon Thanh expressway project (section through Binh Duong province) according to the public-private partnership (PPP) method; and Amending and supplementing Article 1 of Resolution No. 09/NQ-HDND dated May 19, 2023 of the Provincial People's Council on investment policy of Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 4 construction project from Thu Bien bridge - Saigon River (phase 1) according to the PPP method.

Delegates attending the session.

Mr. Pham Trong Nhan - Director of the Department of Planning and Investment said that the Ho Chi Minh City - Chon Thanh expressway belongs to the planning of expressway routes in the Southern region approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 1454/QD-TTg. It aims to create a key traffic route contributing to the connection and promotion of socio-economic development of the Southeast region, the Central Highlands provinces, and Binh Duong province. On December 8, 2023, the People's Council of Binh Duong province passed Resolution No. 49/NQ-HDND on the investment policy of this project according to the PPP method. When the People's Council of Binh Duong Province approved the investment policy, the project did not have an official opinion from the Prime Minister on the amount of capital allocated to the project. Therefore, the project investment policy does not specifically show the central budget capital structure.

Currently, the Prime Minister has document No. 1303/TTg-KTTH dated December 6, 2023, announcing the expected capital support for the project is 4,000 billion VND from the increase in central budget revenue in 2022. Accordingly, the official capital amount will be assigned by the Prime Minister based on reports from ministries, central agencies, and localities on completing project investment procedures. The Prime Minister directed that projects run by local authorities (including decentralized projects) must have a commitment from the Provincial People's Council to allocate sufficient local budget capital.

The resolution adds a commitment to allocate enough local budget capital to participate in the project and adjust the budget capital structure for the project. Specifically, State capital participation is 8,530.11 billion VND; expected to undertake items including all site clearance costs, supporting construction costs of about 246 billion VND. The central budget capital is 4,000 billion VND and the local budget capital is 4,530.11 VND.

Delegates vote to pass resolutions using information technology applications

The Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 4 project, the section from Thu Bien Bridge - Saigon River (phase 1), has been approved by the Provincial People's Council with an investment policy according to the method in Resolution No. 09/NQ -People's Council on May 19, 2023. In order to create favorable conditions for regional connectivity and improve the efficiency of highway exploitation, centripetal national highways have been deployed to promote investment efficiency and traffic connection between Long Thanh International Airport with provinces and cities in the Southern Key Economic Region.

However, currently, through the actual implementation of the investment policy, there have been some changes in the scale of site clearance and land use area… Therefore, it is necessary to adjust the project investment policy to ensure the legal basis for implementation.

Through verification, Ms. Tran Thi Minh Hanh – Head of the Economy and Budget Board of the People's Council said that adjusting and supplementing the investment policy of the Ring Road 4 project to maximize its efficiency of the traffic capacity and serve as a basis for carrying out one site clearance work to avoid affecting people's lives in the project area.

Accordingly, the additional scope of site clearance for the Thu Bien bridge abutment is about 0.6 hectares under project component 1 for site clearance. Adding 02 rest stops (one in each direction) to the project according to the direction of the Prime Minister, thus carrying out site clearance for 02 rest stops of about 05 hectares in component project 1.

Adjusting the expected land use demand from about 419.6 hectares to about 279 hectares. It is due to the actual survey of some sections where investments have been made, some of which have been compensated.

Fees for online public services are reduced from 20% - 50%

Also at the Meeting, delegates of the Provincial People's Council voted to pass a Resolution stipulating fees for online public service provision activities in Binh Duong province; and regulating the prices of medical examination and treatment services that are not covered by the Health Insurance Fund at state-owned medical facilities in Binh Duong province.

Specifically, 05 types of fees for online public service provision have been approved: The fee in the field of water resources is equal to 50% of the fee level for providing direct public services; The construction permit fee is equal to 50% of the fee level for providing direct public services; The fee for evaluating the environmental impact assessment report and environmental improvement and restoration plan is equal to 80% of the fee for direct public service provision; The fees for appraisal, re-issuance, and adjustment of environmental licenses under the environmental licensing authority of the Provincial People's Committee and District People's Committee are equal to 80% of the fee level for direct public service provision activities; and The civil status fee is equal to 50% of the fee for direct public service provision.

Fees collected for online public service provision activities are reduced by 20% - 50% compared to the fee and fee collection rates for direct public service provision activities.

Fees for some online public services are reduced by 20% - 50%.

Ms. Tran Thi Minh Hanh – Head of the Economy and Budget Board of the People's Council said that although this reduction was not much, it was consistent with the general level of neighboring provinces and cities and the province's budget capacity. The total budget is reduced by 2.6 billion VND/year to implement this content. The Board suggested that the Provincial People's Committee direct specialized agencies to continue to review and report more on administrative procedures that have implemented online public services and continue to propose reductions in fees for administrative procedures performed through online public services to continue to encourage people and businesses to use online public services.

Regarding the price of medical examination and treatment services that are not covered by the Health Insurance Fund, this is the minimum price according to the corresponding hospital class specified in Circular No. 21/2023/TT-BYT. It is not higher than the prices of medical examination and treatment facilities under the Ministry of Health and special class hospitals, class I hospitals under ministries and central agencies, and equal to the price of medical examination and treatment services unified health insurance nationwide. At the same time, because the base salary is adjusted to increase to 1,800,000 VND/month and is included in the service price, the price in the draft resolution increases compared to Resolution No. 15/2020/NQ-HDND dated December 10, 2020, of the Provincial People's Council.

Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Nguyen Van Loc speaks at the session.

Concluding the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Van Loc - Chairman of the Provincial People's Council emphasized that the passed Resolutions played a key role in creating a legal basis for the Provincial People's Committee to organize effective implementation as well as accelerate the implementation of key public investment projects and encourage people to use online public services. He asked the Provincial People's Committee to prioritize allocating enough capital and speed up implementation progress to soon complete and effectively promote key transportation and connection projects, contributing to promoting economic growth in the province.

Moreover, it is necessary to direct widespread propaganda to people and businesses and promote the provision and exploitation of online public services, contributing to the development of Digital Government. It is also crucial to propagate and explain to people that the price adjustment of medical examination and treatment services only applies to people without health insurance cards. The province must publicize the price list and organize the collection of prices for medical examination and treatment services following the provisions of the law.

2024 is an important year in implementing the Resolution of the 11th Congress of the Provincial Party Committee and the 5-year socio-economic development plan 2021-2025. Therefore, Mr. Nguyen Van Loc affirmed that the Provincial People's Council will continue to promote the spirit of initiative and creativity, accompanying the Provincial People's Committee and agencies in the political system to successfully carry out the task of socio-economic development.