Hanoi (VNA) - Relevant agencies need to take drastic and concerted actions andquickly remove barriers and difficulties to speed up the disbursement of publicinvestment, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung has said.

Speaking at an online conference held by the Government on August 21 in Hanoi,the minister said that recovering and promoting economic growth amid the COVID-19pandemic is a crucial political task for 2020, in which accelerating the disbursementof public investment is key.

He called on ministries, agencies, and authorities in localities to focus on clearlyidentifying any shortcomings in directing, conducting, and managing public investmentprojects in order to promptly address any problems, especially those relatingto investment procedures and site clearance.

The ministry has proposed the Ministry of Finance accelerate the application ofinformation technology in managing expenditure and processing capitalwithdrawal applications at its offices and at the State Treasury, in ODAdisbursement, and in concessional loans from foreign donors.

Reports from the Ministry of Finance show that cumulative disbursement ofpublic investment reached over 193 trillion VND in the first seven months of thisyear, equivalent to 40.98 percent of the plan, excluding capital left over fromprevious years.

The total is estimated to hit 221.7 trillion VND (9.5 billion USD) by August 31,or 47 percent of the plan.

Five ministries and central agencies and 19 localities have reported disbursementrates of more than 60 percent.

But 29 ministries and central agencies and six localities have posted rates of lessthan 35 percent.

The minister attributed the slow disbursement of ODA capital partly to the impactof COVID-19, saying that most activities linked to foreign factors, from importingmachinery and equipment to engaging foreign experts, workers, contractors, consultants,and supervisors, and project funding have been delayed./.