Vietnam has successfully reached its set target for socio-economic development thanks to joint efforts by the whole political system and the entire people, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

He was speaking at a Cabinet meeting in Hanoi on July 2 attended by leaders from different provinces and centrally-run cities.

Vietnam’s economic growth rate hit 6.16 percent during the past six months, with the consumer price index (CPI) in June increasing by just 0.22 percent compared to a year earlier.

PM Dung asked ministries and agencies to step up measures to stabilise the macroeconomy, reduce the State budget deficit and control inflation.

He emphasised the need to encourage growth in all economic sectors, speed up the disbursement of investment capital, fight negative social trends, and make thorough preparations for the nation’s major events taking place in 2010.

The Prime Minister also asked ministries, agencies and localities to implement credit policies to boost agriculture and rural development, maintain social welfare, fight corruption, and cope with epidemics and natural disasters.

According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the country’s GDP growth rate is predicted to reach 6.5-6.8 percent in 2010, while the CPI will remain steady at 8 percent.

The meeting reviewed the socio-economic development in the first half of this year and discussed ways to fulfill tasks set for the second half.

Source: VOV