Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has urged ministries and localities to implement synchronously and comprehensively 2011 socio-economic tasks and State budget estimates in all aspects right from the beginning of the year.

The Government leader made the request at a two-day Government meeting with localities to discuss the implementation of the National Assembly’s resolution on the socio-economic tasks and State budget in 2011 which concluded in Hanoi on December 31.

He in particular stressed that localities should focus on controlling prices and interest rate, especially during the upcoming Lunar New Year festival.

Dung also asked ministries and localities to concentrate all resources on addressing social issues such as employment, poverty reduction, health and education.

The PM suggested that in 2011, the Government, ministries and localities should strive to improve their forecasting capacity, thus making timely and urgent responses to arising situations.

“The Government, ministries and localities should pay attention to completing management institutions and mechanisms, especially in the fields of land, mineral, forest and environment,” he noted.

Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Le Hoang Quan proposed that the Government focus investment on the three key economic regions, including the Northern, the Southern and the Central.

The strong development of the three “motive forces” will bring about the development of surrounding provinces, he stressed.

Many delegates said that the Government should pay attention to addressing power shortages, ensuring sufficient electricity for production and people’s daily life, as well as take measures to adjust interest rates which have been at a high level causing difficulties to businesses.

According to PM Dung, all ideas contributed by localities at the meeting will studied in the process of drafting a Government resolution on measures to implement the 2011 socio-economic development plan and State budget estimates. The resolution will be issued in the next several days./.