Focusing on Accelerating Disbursement of Funds for National Target Programs

On the afternoon of October 22, the Provincial People’s Committee organized an in-person conference combined with online streaming to 148 communes and wards to thoroughly grasp and deploy the National Target Program (NTP) for Socio-Cultural, Rural, Ethnic, and Mountainous Area Development for the 2026–2035 period; and evaluate execution results for 2026 NTPs. Comrade Tran Duy Dong — Alternate Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, and Head of the Provincial Steering Committee for NTP Implementation — chaired the conference.

Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee Tran Duy Dong delivering directive remarks at the conference.

Co-chairing the conference were Members of the Provincial Party Committee and Vice Chairpersons of the Provincial People’s Committee: Dinh Cong Su; Phung Thi Kim Nga; and Nguyen Khac Hieu.

Attending the conference was Comrade Duong Hoang Huong — Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism; alongside leaders of provincial departments, boards, and sectors.

Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee Tran Duy Dong and Vice Chairpersons of the Provincial People’s Committee co-chairing the conference.

In 2026, Phu Tho province focuses on deploying NTPs assigned capital by the Central Government, including: New Rural Development; Sustainable Poverty Reduction; Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas; Cultural Development Program; and Drug Prevention and Control Program.

To date, the province has issued 125 documents providing leadership, direction, and execution guidelines; perfected the provincial-level Steering Committee; and established Steering Committees across 100% of communes and wards.

Total state budget capital for program execution in 2026 reached over 1,070 billion VND. Among this, public investment capital accounts for over 769 billion VND, and non-business capital accounts for over 301 billion VND. All capital sources have been allocated according to plan, prioritizing disadvantaged areas, ethnic minority regions, and mountainous areas.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee Dinh Cong Su moderating the discussion session.

However, disbursement progress remains slow. As of October 15, disbursement for the 2026 planned capital reached over 28 billion VND, hitting 2.63%; while capital from the 2021–2025 period extended into 2026 achieved over 286 billion VND in disbursement, reaching 30.96%.

Primary causes stem from obstacles during project dossier handovers when operating a 2-tier local government system; difficulties regarding investment procedures, land, site clearance, and execution capacity across several localities.

Leader of the Department of Finance reporting at the conference.

Regarding organizational models, steering mechanisms, coordination, task assignments, and program deployment, the Department of Agriculture and Environment advised that implementation will link to the 2-tier local government model—enhancing decentralization and authorization alongside inspection and supervision.

Commune-level authorities will directly organize execution, proactively selecting tasks and projects aligned with practical demands and taking responsibility for progress, quality, and resource usage efficiency in their jurisdictions.

The Department of Agriculture and Environment serves as the Standing Agency of the Provincial Steering Committee, responsible for advising, synthesizing, coordinating, and monitoring implementation results across the province.

Leader of the Department of Agriculture and Environment reporting at the conference.

Delivering concluding remarks at the conference, Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee Tran Duy Dong emphasized: The NTP for Socio-Cultural, Rural, Ethnic, and Mountainous Area Development for the 2026–2035 period has a wide scope, integrating multiple fields, and plays a vital role in socio-economic development and elevating citizens' living standards.

Program deployment must create substantive shifts in management, direction, resource allocation, and utilization—overcoming overlaps, fragmentation, and scattered investments; accelerating decentralization and authorization linked to accountability and execution conditions, promoting commune-level proactiveness, and taking investment efficiency and citizens' living standard improvements as measures of success.

In implementation, clearly assign lead agencies, coordinating units, responsibilities, progress timelines, and specific deliverables; strengthen inspection and supervision to resolve difficulties and bottlenecks in a timely manner. Managing and utilizing resources must ensure focus, key priorities, and targeted efforts—prioritizing disadvantaged regions and vulnerable groups; maintaining openness, transparency, correct targeting, and preventing loss and waste.

The Chairman requested departments, sectors, and localities to proactively study, thoroughly grasp, and strictly execute central resolutions and regulations; avoiding waiting or relying passively on instructions, and keeping work uninterrupted. Assign the Department of Agriculture and Environment to urgently perfect organizational apparatuses, coordination mechanisms, and operational regulations. Assign the Department of Finance to lead advising the Provincial People’s Committee to submit to the Provincial People’s Council for issuing regulations on criteria, state budget allocation norms, management decentralization mechanisms, and support policies within its authority.

For 2026 tasks, the Chairman requested Provincial Steering Committee members, departments, sectors, and localities to stay close to the grassroots—strengthening leadership, guidance, inspection, and urging to promptly resolve difficulties and fulfill set targets.

The primary focus is to disburse 100% of the 2026 capital plan and 2021–2025 extended capital; striving to have 5 communes meet new rural standards: Tu Vu, Hoi Thinh, Lien Chau, Nguyet Duc, and Phung Nguyen; and reducing the poverty rate to 2%.

Le Minh