Hanoi (VNA) – If development tasks are not implemented in adrastic manner in September and the fourth quarter of 2017, they might not beachieved, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said at the Government’s Augustregular meeting on August 30.

Cabinet members discussed solutions to fulfilsocio-economic targets for this year and gave opinions on the implementation ofthe State budget plan for 2017 and estimates for 2018, the allocation of thecentral budget in 2018, and other hot issues emerging in August.

Concluding the meeting, PM Phuc applaudedtireless efforts by ministries, sectors, localities, organisations, individualsand businesses in carrying out 13 socio-economic targets set for this year, witheight of them expected to surpass the plans.

The Cabinet chief ordered them not to besubjective while continuing to review each target and exert all-out efforts torealise the targets.

He requested the Ministry of Finance to reviewbudget collection and expenditure targets to ensure national financial securityand major financial balances. He urged actions to prevent tax fraud, debt andover-collection and to promote tax revenues.

It is also necessary to strongly reform thebudget, increase expenditure on development investment and debt repayment, andsharply decrease frequent spending, the Government leader said.

To facilitate the capital flow for productionand business activities, the PM asked the State Bank of Vietnam to cut downlending interest rates by another 0.5 percent since this is an importantsolution to stimulate the economy. It has to take necessary measures to supportbusinesses while ensuring a credit growth rate of at least 21 percent andstrictly dealing with credit-related violations.

Regarding the acceleration of investment and ODA capital disbursement forinfrastructure construction, he instructed the Ministry of Planning andInvestment to promptly allocate capital under the Government’s resolution whileinspecting units which directly use public investment capital.

In the short term, the increase of taxes, feesand charges needs to be postponed to avoid impacts on enterprises and thebusiness environment, he noted.

At the meeting, PM Phuc asked the agriculturalsector to attain the planned growth rate of 3.05 percent and farm produce exportturnover of 35 billion USD, which will set a new record. He also orderedexamination of big industrial provinces to remove difficulties and accelerateindustrial projects.

If the industrial, agricultural and servicessectors fail to realise their targets for only one month, it will be hard toachieve the targeted growth rate of 6.7 percent for 2017, the PM said,stressing that the tourism industry must strive to serve 15-17 million touriststhis year.-VNA