Government Mandates Urgent Review of Stalled Projects Across Localities
Deputy Prime Minister Nguyễn Hòa Bình has issued a forceful, urgent directive requiring all relevant ministries and localities across Việt Nam to promptly complete a comprehensive review of long-stalled development projects and to propose actionable solutions by the firm deadline of October 14.
This directive, dated October 9, specifically addresses the persistent and concerning delays in updating critical information regarding these problematic projects within the centralized Steering Committee 751 database system.
Despite clear instructions issued earlier by the Prime Minister in August, a substantial number of government agencies and regional authorities have failed to review their respective stalled projects and propose effective mechanisms to resolve the difficulties hindering their progress.
The official data as of October 7 revealed a significant shortfall: out of 2,991 projects designated from 17 localities and six central ministries, only 1,596 have been properly reviewed and updated in the System 751 database.
The remaining 1,395 unreviewed projects are scattered across 15 key provinces and major cities, including high-profile economic hubs like Hà Nội, Hồ Chí Minh City (HCM City), Đà Nẵng, and Cần Thơ, as well as falling under the purview of eight central ministries, such as the Ministries of Science and Technology, Education and Training, Health, Industry and Trade, Foreign Affairs, Construction, and Culture, Sports and Tourism.
This widespread failure to comply with the initial instructions highlights a serious administrative bottleneck that the government is determined to eliminate through this forceful intervention.
Enforcing Accountability for Resolution Mechanisms
The Prime Minister’s directive emphasizes a focused and systematic approach to project resolution, specifically calling on all agencies and regional localities to apply the mechanisms stipulated in National Assembly Resolution No 170/2024/QH15, dated November 30, 2024.
This application is deemed essential to ensure that solutions can be immediately implemented to overcome obstacles for projects that have already undergone official inspection conclusions or are subject to final court rulings, thereby clearing the path for their swift resumption.
For all other pending cases that do not fall under pre-determined rulings, the directive demands that agencies must clearly and precisely identify the specific methods by which each project’s unique problems will be solved.
Crucially, they must also designate the exact authority or individual who possesses the power to approve these proposed solutions and, critically, establish unambiguous and specific deadlines for the implementation of these remedial actions.
The seriousness of this mandate is underlined by the explicit threat of consequences: Following the October 14 deadline, the Ministry of Finance is tasked with compiling a definitive list of all agencies that fail to complete the required review.
The Ministry will then recommend that the Prime Minister hold both the responsible organizations and individuals—particularly the agency heads—accountable for their non-compliance.
Unlocking Vast Resources for Socio-Economic Growth
The core underlying motivation of this urgent government directive is the recognition that removing bottlenecks for these long-stalled projects is absolutely crucial for putting them back into operation and enabling them to contribute meaningfully to Việt Nam’s overall socio-economic development.
These dormant assets represent a massive, wasted national resource that must be immediately activated.
The Government has already taken significant steps to address systemic issues, including submitting proposals to the Politburo aimed at resolving the crises facing five weak commercial banks and a dozen delayed, inefficient projects and enterprises that have resulted in substantial resource wastage.
The scope of the current task remains immense, as nearly 3,000 stalled projects are currently under review.
These projects represent a staggering total investment value of nearly VNĐ5.9 quadrillion, which is equivalent to approximately US$235 billion, and collectively occupy about 347,000 hectares of land across various localities.
Successfully revitalizing these projects would inject tremendous capital and productive capacity back into the economy.
The focused pressure from the Deputy Prime Minister on all central ministries and localities signifies a firm governmental commitment to efficiency, accountability, and resource optimization, demonstrating that the resolution of these long-standing issues is now a top-level priority to ensure national development targets are met.
