2007 will focus on the use of State budgets in furtherance of the laws on corruption control, thrift practice and waste combat, said a senior official.

Tao Huu Phung, Deputy Director of the National Assembly Economic and Budgetary Committee, announced the State auditing plan at a press conference in Ha Noi on Jan. 3, the first ever happening so far.

Meanwhile, State Auditing Chief Vuong Dinh Hue said that this year will see the work cover 54 percent of the State budget collection against last year's 45 percent.

Under the plan, the State auditing will examine 2006 reports on State balancing, funding and properties in 29 provinces and cities at the central level.

Preparations are being made for a comprehensive auditing in Ho Chi Minh City, which accounts for 30 percent of the total State budget collection.

The work will also cover 17 ministries and agencies under the central management, seven more than 2006. The ministries of Telematics and Home Security will be audited for the first time.

In regard to the infrastructure construction, State auditing will especially put its eyes on projects using official development assistance (ODA) and World Bank financing.

Fifteen State corporations which have their product prices fixed by the State, such as the Viet Nam Cement Corporation and the Viet Nam Petroleum Corporation, will be other major targets for State auditing. These efforts are made to control State monopoly and create a level ground for businesses of all economic sectors to compete. Five financial institutions, including banks, will be subject to State auditing.

State auditing will also be conducted on 16 major projects on transport, irrigation and electricity, the management and utility of State budget allocations for science-technology and road traffic fees in 2005-06.

Financial reports from 30 agencies belonging to the security and national defence sector are also due to go through State auditing.

In 2006, the State Auditing discovered the necessity to add almost 5.03 trillion VND to the State budget for management, thus increasing the State budget collection by 627 billion VND and reducing the State budget spending by 909 billion VND.

Source: VNA