Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on August 4 approved a Resolution on a string of steps to be taken to clear business obstacles and spur industrial and agro-production.

Under the resolution, reached by Cabinet members at their July meeting in Hanoi, the State Bank of Vietnam is requested to do its best to facilitate businesses’ access to preferential loans. At the same time, it is tasked with restructuring weak credit institutions, speeding up the tackling of bad debts, and reinforcing the operation of the entire banking system.

To improve business climate and national competitiveness, relevant agencies are assigned to refine the government’s draft taxation resolution.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade must join efforts with other agencies to seriously deal with fraud, especially the trade in alcoholic drinks, cigarettes and fertilisers. Meanwhile, it will closely monitor cross-border trade activity, and cases of temporary import for re-export.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is responsible for ensuring enough rice supply for export while mitigating consequences triggered by natural disasters.

For the State budget collection going on well, the Finance Ministry will crack down on tax evasion and fraud, and transfer pricing and closely watch over the refund of high-value added tax.

It will rearrange duty-free shops and non-tariff areas, address cross-border smuggling, adjust import duties on fertilisers, and issue a more transparent market price mechanism.

The Transport Ministry is directed to supervise the quality and progress of key projects, and drastically handle overloaded trucks and overload in several commercial ports.

Ministries and agencies concerned are in charge of offering social welfare services, including education and health care, to the poor and families of war heroes.

They are required to hasten the reform of administrative procedures, the combat against crime and corruption, and the settlement of complaints and denunciations while ensuring national defence and security.-VNA