Planning essential to development

Construction planning should foresee the development of the economy as well as the urban expansion in order to spur its growth, said Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai.

HCM City-Trung Luong Highway Ramp, which goes across the Sai Gon river, has opened.

Speaking at a meeting to review the construction sector’s activities and its plans for 2010 held in Ha Noi yesterday, January 18, Hai said that the sector should carefully allocate its budget and resources as well as the labour force to dominate the domestic market and improve competitiveness vis a vis international companies.

He said the sector should prioritise administrative reform to create a better investment environment and ensure the completion of key projects including transport infrastructure, clean water and waste treatment to help improve living standards.

Hai praised the sector for its high growth rate, making up 22.3 per cent of last year’s GDP, up from a mere 10 per cent previously.

He also acknowledged progress made in capital disbursement of capital construction projects, which met 80 per cent of the planned target.

The Deputy Minister of Construction, Cao Lai Quang said at the meeting that the sector was reorganising all sources to catch up with regional development levels.

Quangsaid that the sector would focus on basic targets on administrative reform, planning, developing housing and property markets, urban development, quality control and the development of major construction corporations as well as improving the quality of the labour force.

Under a report from the Ministry of Construction, total production revenue of the sector last year stood at VND123.4 trillion (US$6.85 billion) or an 14.6 per cent year-on-year increase. Total investment value last year was VND31.6 billion ($1.75 billion).

The sector plans to maintain a two-digit increase of 15 per cent and an annual investment value of VND44.2 trillion ($2.5 billion), this year.

In another move, Deputy PM Hai has issued a document asking cities and provinces to speed up the financing and land clearance of key transportation projects.

Haiasked Ha Noi authority to finish the land clearance for Xuan Mai section in Chuong My District of Ha Noi, part of the HCM Road Project, at the end of this month.

He ordered the project management board of Lang-Hoa Lac Project to finish within the first quarter this year. The resettlement project for the Ha Noi-Hai Phong Highway Project should also be completed in the next two months.

Hai has agreed to put HCM City Urban Railway Network Control and Maintenance Company on the waiting list for Official Development Assistance capital.

Hai also asked the Ministry of Transportation and HCM City’s authority as well as other related provinces to co-operate in order to open the HCM City-Trung Luong Highway Project by the beginning of next month.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News

Tags: Vietnam Infrastructure