The Prime Minister has instructed that only two national target programmes will be carried out in the period from 2016-2020, which are poverty reduction and building new-style rural areas.

In a directive issued on August 5 on planning public investment for the five year period, PM Dung said he made the decision with the aim of avoiding overstretching resources in order to focus capital on the most necessary projects.

He required ministries, sectors and local governments to try and complete halfway projects under other national programmes, and not to propose new ones.

In making plans on investment using capital sourced by the State budget, central and local Government bonds, Official Development Assistance and preferential loans, the PM instructed ministries, sectors and local authorities to take into serious consideration the situation of public investment in the 2011-2015 period and socio-economic development plans for the 2016-2020 at both national, sectoral and local levels.

The public investment plans should also be based on the national strategy on public and foreign debts for 2016-2020 and vision to 2030, the master plan on economic restructure and growth model shift for 2013-2020 as well as approved restructuring plans of sectors and State-owned economic groups and corporations.

The directive made clear that all outstanding debts in capital construction must be settled before December 31, 2014, and no more debts will be allowed to occur as from 2015 in line with the Law on Public Investment.-VNA