The Government has asked the National Assembly Standing Committee to allow it to earmark over 48.6 trillion VND (2.3 billion USD) in bonds for 638 projects as it looks to complete them as scheduled.

The Cabinet made the call at the Standing Committee’s ongoing 24th session in Hanoi on January 15, during which lawmakers commented on the 2014-2016 allocation of additional Government bonds for half-finished projects that are in the 2012-2015 list of bond recipients.

Referring to 91 projects worth over 18 trillion VND (850 million USD) that meet 33.7 percent of the demand for Government bond allocation, the Cabinet expressed wish to direct ministries and localities to raise fund or adjust their investment to ensure that they will be completed in 2014-2015.

Now a detailed plan must be submitted to the committee before April 30 for approval.

Lawmakers also consented to offer a total of 1.5 trillion VND (71.4 million USD) to the second-stage project on border patrol roads.

The NA also considered funding for the construction of lanes for large vessels on the Hau River in the Mekong Delta region and asked the Government to provide the cause with 6.1 trillion VND (290 million USD.

In addition, 500 billion VND (238,000 USD) of the proposed 6.6 trillion VND amount for the project will be transferred to the second-stage border patrol road project.

They also agreed to issue a resolution on the 2014-2016 allocation of Government bonds which will go to underfunded projects.-VNA