Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has urged ministries, sectors and localities to continue implementing the adopted measures to fulfil the country’s socio-economic goals for 2013.

While presiding over the cabinet’s monthly meeting in Hanoi on June 27, the PM emphasised that in the second half of this year it is necessary to continue to rein in inflation and stabilise the macro-economy in parallel with developing the economy for reaching an annual growth rate of 5.5 percent.

He asked the State Bank to continue reducing lending interest rates to a reasonable figure suitable for controlling inflation.

Meanwhile, he called for ministries, sectors and localities to radically expedite restructuring schemes, pay more attention to the mobilisation of investment from society, and enable enterprises to develop, while promoting the attraction and disbursement of FDI and ODA.

The PM said it is crucial to better carry out policies on tax exemption, reduction and extension, thus creating favourable conditions for enterprises to access capital.

At the same time, it is necessary to put the Vietnam Asset Management Company (VAMC) for credit institutions into operation at an early date to contribute to dealing with bad debts and promoting production, thoroughly solve inventory issues and remove obstacles for the property market, he said.

The PM urged all sectors to actively implement the domestic market development programme, and enhance the efficiency of trade promotion activities, while further expanding export markets.

He also stressed the continuation of the effective and comprehensive implementation of social welfare policies, national target programmes on poverty reduction and employment, and solutions to vocational training and job creation.

PM Dung required more drastic accomplishment of the building of new-style rural areas, the tackling of hospital overcrowding as well as the prevention of flooding in the rainy season.

He also emphasised the need for better performing information and communication work, ensuring transparent and objective information on the socioeconomic situation is provided to the public.

Regarding the country’s socioeconomic performance in the first six months of this year, PM Dung praised the efforts of all ministries, sectors and localities in completing their tasks, especially in implementing Resolution 01/NQ-CP and 02/NQ-CP as well as other Government and Prime Minister Resolutions, thus bringing about positive changes in all fields.

However, he commented that the implementation of Resolution 01/NQ-CP and 02/NQ-CP are still slow, limiting the effectiveness of the policies.

All cabinet members and leaders of localities agreed that the socio-economy was on right track during the first half of the year, resulting in positive changes.

GDP growth in the January-June period hit 4.9 percent. The number of businesses resuming operations also increased from 8,300 in four months to about 9,300 in six months, he said.

The progress of the new-style rural area programme has remarkably contributed to improving the rural image nationwide. Particularly, infrastructure systems for socioeconomic and production development have been strengthened, enhancing living condition for people.

In the first six months of the year, 722,500 jobs were created, equivalent to 98.3 percent of last year’s figure, fulfilling 45.2 percent of the set target. Political and social order and security were well maintained.

However, cabinet members and localities’ leaders agreed that the economy is still facing many challenges, requiring greater efforts to find and implement efficient measures to overcome difficulties. They suggested continuing to review and adjust policies and mechanisms to suit the situation.-VNA