Hanoi (VNS/VNA)  – Thousands ofbusinesses will not have to pay for the right to exploit water this yearif a plan submitted by the Government is approved by the National Assembly.

The cut, estimated at 1.4 trillion VND (60.2 million USD), aims to helpthe sector overcome the difficulties and losses caused by theCOVID-19 pandemic.

Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha said in the contextof the COVID-19 pandemic, which was affecting all aspects of the economyand society, production had declined and been interrupted due tosocial distancing.

Ha said all affected businesses and people should be supported, including thoseinvolved in water exploitation.

The National Assembly and the Government have already issuedsupport policies such as reducing corporate income tax by 30 percent,export incentives, promoting the disbursement of public investment capital andensuring social welfare. However, businesses involved in water resourceshave not received support policies from the Government.

“If this proposal is approved by the National Assembly, about 4,000enterprises, organisations and individual business households will beexempt from paying anything from 150,000 VND to 116.3 billion VND, as inthe case of the Son La Hydropower Company,” Ha said.

Ha said the waiver would offer direct support, helpingbusinesses overcome difficulties caused by COVID-19, and indirectsupport such as reducing the risk of unemployment.

“It will also help to maintain jobs, which in turn limits socialevils,” Ha said.

Of the estimated 1.4 trillion VND to be cut, the central province of Thua Thien-Huewill be subject to the lowest waiver of 42 million VND, while the northernmountainous province of Son La will see the highest cut of 150 billion VND.

Ha said the exemption would have no negative effects on the legal system andwas not contrary to international treaties of which Vietnam is a member.“If this policy is approved and promulgated, the calculation, appraisal andapproval will still comply with the provisions of Government Decree82/2017/NĐ-CP [outlining calculation methods and charges for waterexploitation rights].”

“This is a beneficial policy for organisations, businesses and individuals sothey will comply and actively implement it. In addition, this policy onlywaives the charge for water exploitation rights from January 1, 2020 toDecember 31, 2020, so it will not affect the legal system in case of anyamendment in the future,” he added.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Finance, after nearly threeyears of implementing Decree 82, the Ministry of Natural Resources andEnvironment and localities had approved about 4,000 decisions to grant theright to exploit water resources, contributing 10.6 trillion VND to the Statebudget./.