The PM made the request at a conference held by the Ministry of Finance inHanoi on January 8 to review the finance-State budget work in 2017 and roll outtasks for this year.
He asked the financial sector to take the initiative in overcoming difficultiesfacing Vietnam’s economy while studying economic policies of neighbouringcountries to serve domestic economic development.
Deputy Finance Minister Tran Hong Ha said that in 2018, the financial sectorwill continue its cautious management of fiscal policies in close combinationwith monetary policies, further stabilise the macro economy, curb inflation andpromote economic growth.
Besides, more efforts will be channeled into collecting state budget, closelycontrolling budget spending and tightening financial regulations, he added,stressing that budget collection is expected to grow by 3 percent against theestimate assigned by the National Assembly and budget overspending is projectedto be capped at 3.7 percent of GDP as set by the legislature.
Bui Van Nam, head of the General Department of Taxation, said the tax sectorwill propose the NA issue a resolution to scrap irrecoverable and lingeringdebts to strengthen the national financial system, along with pushing the administrativereform.
General Director of the State Treasury Nguyen Hong Ha said that State Treasuryhas instructed its branches in cities and provinces to closely coordinate withrelevant agencies to swiftly gather budget contributions, and urged investorsto speed up the disbursement process.
By the end of 2018, public debt ratio is set at about 63.9 percent of GDP,Government debt at 52.5 percent of GDP and foreign debt at about 47.6 percent,with public debt structured towards sustainability, heard the meeting.
Double efforts will also be made to accelerate the restructuring andequitisation of State-own businesses and complete the legal system on pricemanagement.
A decision released recently by the Finance Ministry estimates State budgetrevenues for the year at 1.31 quadrillion VND (58.3 billion USD), including1.09 quadrillion VND from domestic sources, 179 trillion VND in trade surplus,35.9 trillion VND from crude oil sales, as well as 5 trillion VND ininternational aid.
The ministry reported that 2017’s total budget collection stood at 1.2quadrillion VND, up 71 trillion VND or 5.9 percent compared with the estimate,and 43.7 trillion VND more than the target set by the National Assembly.
In the year, budget deficit was more than 174 trillion VND, equivalent to 3.48percent of GDP, within the legislature’s estimate. -VNA