National Assembly (NA) deputies spent all day on May 27 discussing the Government’s report on the implementation of socio-economic development tasks and the spending of the State budget in 2009 and the first months of 2010.

Most deputies approved the report, agreeing that 2009 was the most difficult year of the past 10 years. Thanks to great efforts on the part of the Party, State and people, and the guidance of the NA, Vietnam overcame numerous challenges and difficulties in 2009, quickly halting the economic downturn, achieving remarkable economic growth, controlling inflation, and ensuring social welfare.

Some deputies, however, pointed out certain shortcomings related to social welfare, poverty reduction, wastefulness, forecasting, statistics, overspending of the State budget, and State debts.

Accurate statistics needed

Deputy Duong Kim Anh of Tra Vinh province recommended that the Government pay more attention to resolving issues related to society, culture, sports, education, health care, and the environment, as the country failed to meet set targets in these fields last year.

Regarding the poverty rate, deputy Nguyen Van Tuyet of Yen Bai province said that it is essential to accurately specify the poverty rate. The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs said that the poverty rate dropped to 11.3 percent, while the General Statistics Office gave a figure of 12.3 percent, he stated.

Deputy Bui Si Loi of Thanh Hoa province shared the view of Phuong Thi Thanh of Bac Kan, Huynh Van Ti of Binh Thuan, Vi Trong Le of Phu Tho, and Hoang Thi Binh of Cao Bang, that the poverty line applied since 2006 is no longer in line with the rising consumer price index, negatively impacting people’s living conditions. The gap between the rich and the poor is widening, they added.

NA delegates asked the Government to introduce measures to control market prices and set a new poverty line.

Increasing the quality of forecasting and statistics

Deputy Nguyen Van Tuyet of Yen Bai province also voiced concerns about the quality of forecasting and statistics work that affects socio-economic development. There is a big difference between estimates and realised figures. In particular, he noted, revenues of the State budget are VND51,690 billion higher than the projections reported to the National Assembly.

Source: VOV