Chỉ thị 723/CT-TTg

DIRECTIVE

ON FORMULATION OF THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND STATE BUDGET ESTIMATE FOR 2009

In implementing the National Assembly's Resolution on the 2008 socio-economic development plan and state budget estimate, all branches, levels and enterprises have endeavored to overcome all difficulties to develop production while concentrating on performing the urgent tasks of curbing inflation, stabilizing the macro economy, ensuring social security and maintaining sustainable development.

The tasks envisaged for the remaining months of 2008 and the year 2009 are very heavy, especially when the world economy is still in decline, the prices of crude oil, food and major supplies keeping rising, epidemics and natural disasters occur repeatedly; in the country, the economy tends to develop at a slower pace, the macro balances are unstable, prices continuously increase, the people meet with many difficulties in their lives...

In order to overcome the above difficulties and obstacles, contribute to properly implementing the Resolution of the X^th National Party Congress and the National Assembly's Resolution on the 2006-2010 five-year socio-economic development plan, the Prime Minister requests ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-attached agencies, provinces, centrally run cities, economic groups and state corporations to make the 2009 socio-economic development plans and state budget estimates with the following principal contents:

A. MAJOR TASKS OF THE 2009 PLAN

I. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL TASKS

In 2009 efforts should be further concentrated on curbing inflation and ensuring macro-economic stability, social security and sustainable growth.

1. Economic development

a/ Branches, levels and enterprises will continue to take synchronous measures to vigorously promote production and services and attract investment. It is expected that GDP of 2009 will increase 7-7,5%. To further promote economic and labor restructuring toward quickly increasing the shares of services and industries.

To strongly boost and increase the competitiveness and effectiveness of industrial production. To implement policies to encourage technology renewal, raising of quality, reduction of production expenses and product costs, especially for essential commodities and exports.

To maintain stable and sustainable growth of the whole sector of agriculture, forestry and fisheries. To vigorously increase investments in agricultural production and rural development to ensure sufficient foods for domestic consumption and increase food quantities for export. To take measures to prevent widespread infection of plant and animal diseases: to ensure sufficient seeds, fertilizers and pesticides for crops, especially rice, striving to achieve a food output and rice yield higher than 2008. To boost the production of industrial crops in association with developing raw material areas and processing industry, especially products with good prices and in big demand on the domestic and overseas markets.

To rapidly develop husbandry towards effectiveness, sustainability and food safety. To ensure breeds, feeds, techniques and other necessary conditions for restoring and developing husbandry. To attach importance to rational exploitation of marine resources and promoting the rearing, processing and export of aquatic products.

To develop services with potential and high value added: to strongly develop tourism; to develop and raise the quality of transport to ensure the circulation of goods and people's travel needs.

To continue reviewing and revising regulations and administrative procedures to become more convenient for people and businesses, first of all regulations and procedures related to business establishment, investment, capital borrowing and disbursement; and procedures related to taxation, customs, access to land, foreign exchange trading, inspection and examination.

b/ To take measures to promote export and effectively control import to reduce trade deficit. To remove export-related obstacles so as to reduce costs and increase the competitiveness of Vietnam's exports.

c/ To further implement measures to curb inflation. To ensure goods supply and demand balance, especially production input goods and people's essential consumer goods. To intensify market control. To build and develop distribution networks so as to ensure the supply of goods at reasonable prices, especially essential consumer goods and in areas with difficult socio-economic conditions.

To control the supply and sale prices of monopolized goods and services.

d/To mobilize to the maximum and efficiently utilize resources. To quickly disburse development investment capita, especially for projects to build essential socio-economic infrastructure and important traffic works in areas boosting large volumes of goods and high transport connectivity so as to remove bottlenecks and increase the volume of circulated goods, and investment projects to produce hi-tech products and products of high export value. To concentrate capital sources for key national projects and works likely to be put into Use in 2009.

To further improve the management of construction investment. To efficiently use and speed up the disbursement of official development assistance (ODA) capital; to attract more and quickly disburse foreign direct investment (FDI). to intensify inspection so as to effectively prevent embezzlement and waste, ensuring quality of works. To take the initiative in coping with anomalous developments on the capital market.

e/ To continue accelerating the reorganization and renewal of state enterprises and equitization of state corporations and large state enterprises operating in domains in which the State does not need to hold 100% of their capital.

2. Tasks of development of science and technology, education and training, human resource development, assurance of social security and other domains

a/ To increase the domestic scientific and technological capacity together with increasing the absorption, master and application of the world's advanced scientific and technological achievements to various fields of social life. To promote socialization of scientific and technological activities in the direction of supporting the scientific and technological development market.

b/ To more strongly renovate the domains of education and training, healthcare and culture along with properly pursuing guideline and policies to encourage socialization of these domains. To encourage and create conditions for the private sector to invest in the domains of education, healthcare, culture and sports.

To renovate state management and expand the autonomy and accountability of cultural, health and education non-business units: to step by step increase the quality of social services.

c/ To concentrate on quickly developing human resources to meet development requirements, especially quality human resources, so as to attract investment projects with high technological level and big value added. To further properly implement policies of providing concessional loans for students and vocational trainees in disadvantaged circumstances to pursue their study.

d/ To properly implement social security policies so as to provide practical support for social policy beneficiaries, the poor and persons in disadvantaged circumstances in the process of development. To further promote the implementation of national target programs, programs, projects, solutions and policies on social security so as to support production development and stabilize life for the poor, ethnic minority people meeting with difficulties in poor areas and flood-stricken areas.

To reduce poverty in a sustainable manner and ensure that the poor can reasonable enjoy the fruits of growth. To reduce farmers' contributions. To ensure a better life for the people whose land is recovered by the State.

e/ To implement in a coordinated and effective manner measures to combat epidemics and proactively cope with epidemics or, humans.

To proactively prevent and control natural disasters, promptly organize search and salvage activities to minimize damage caused by natural disasters to people's life and property.

f/ To ffectively tackle burning social problems, especially crime, drug abuse, and traffic accidents and jams in major cities.

3. Environmental protection tasks

a/ To reduce environmental pollution and improve environmental quality. to basically tackle the degraded environment in factory areas, industrial parks and densely populated areas: to renovate and improve the environment on seriously polluted rivers, lakes, ponds and canals.

To raise the capacity of prevention and avoidance of natural disasters and climate change unfavorable to the environment and reduce their adverse impacts on the environment: to promptly respond to and overcome bad consequences caused by natural disasters.

b/ To rationally, effectively and sustainably utilize natural resources and the environment in river basins, ensure the ecological balance, conserve the nature and preserve biodiversity. To promote propaganda, education, training and retraining to raise awareness about the environment: to regard environmental preservation and protection as a responsibility of the entire society.

c/ To meet requirements in environmental protection commitments to the international community, limit adverse impacts of the globalization process on the domestic environment with a view to promoting economic growth and improving the quality of people's life.

4. To step up administrative reform, practice of thrift and combat of waste

In the near future, administrative reform must aim at building an administration to serve the people, which is clean, democratic, effective and efficient: and a contingent of qualified and capable cadres and civil servants who meet the requirements of national development and defense.

a/ To strongly implement the master plan on administrative reform and the Government's action program to implement the Resolution of the 5^th plenum of the Party Central Committee, the X^th Congress, on stepping up administrative reform and increasing the management effectiveness and efficiency of the state apparatus. To implement the single-leader regime in administrative agencies; to clearly define responsibilities of heads and leading collectives at all levels. To step up reform of administrative procedures, first of all procedures related to investment, establishment and operation of enterprises, and administrative sen ices related to people's life in accordance with the Prime Minister's Decision No. 07/QD-TTg of April 1, 2008. To implement the e-government program in association with renewing the management mode of the administrative system in the process of application of information technologies to state management.

b/To strictly abide by the principles of publicity and transparency in operations of state management agencies at all levels: to widely disseminate and publicly post up clear and specific rules, processes and administrative procedures at public offices.

c/ To continue reforming the public-duty regime, including management of cadres, public employees and civil servants; the salary regime and other regimes and policies. To renovate the training and retraining of cadres, public employees and civil servants, with importance being attached to education of public employees in ethics and political qualities.

To promote grassroots democracy and increase dialogues between local administrations and the business community and people.

5. To intensify anti-corruption work

a/ To perfect the legal system against corruption: to implement in a coordinated manner the Law Against Corruption and the Law on Practice of Thrift and Combat of Waste; to supplement and perfect the Law on Complaints and Denunciations.

To further raise the sense of responsibility among all levels, sectors, agencies, organizations, units, cadres, public employees and civil servants in anti-corruption work.

b/ To organize the effective operation of the anti-corruption steering committees at the central level, including anti-corruption bodies in ministries and branches, and the anti-corruption steering committees in localities according to the Law Against Corruption. To closely combine the implementation of the action program against corruption with the action program on practice of thrift and combat of waste, especially in the areas of land, investment in capital construction, state budget collection and spending, public finance management, and personnel promotion and appointment. To increase management and control of incomes of cadres and public employees, especially those with positions and powers.

6. To further strengthen defense and security, firmly preserve national independence and social order and safety, especially in key regions, border areas and islands, create a stable political environment for economic development and international economic integration.

II. TASKS OF MAKING STATE BUDGET ESTIMATES FOR 2009:

Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-attached agencies and other agencies at the central level, localities, agencies, units and organizations using state budget funds will organize the making of state budget estimates for 2009 in accordance with the Law on State Budget, the

Government's Decree No. 60/2003/ND-CPof June 6,2003. detailing and guiding the implementation of the Law on State Budget, and relevant legal documents. State budget estimates for 2009 must be made on the basis of the 2006-2010 five-year socio-economic development plan and the 2009 plans of the whole country, ministries, branches and localities.

State budget estimates for 2009 must contribute to curbing inflation and stabilizing the macro economy so as to ensure sustainable development, create an open and equal investment-business environment, and properly implement social security.

On this basis, in making state budget estimates for 2009. attention should be paid to the following basic contents:

1. State budget revenue estimates for 2009 shall be made in the positive direction, closely following the development forecasts of the economy and revenue policies and regimes, increasing measures to thoroughly collect tax debts, combat revenue loss, tax evasion and trade fraud. State budget revenue estimates shall be made with the target of over 22% of GDP and tax and charge revenues accounting for over 21% of GDP. Domestic revenue estimates (excluding revenues from crude oil and land use levies) will increase at least 17-19% on average compared to the estimated figure of2008.

2. State budget expenditure estimates for 2009 shall be made on the basis of the revenue and expenditure balance and current legal provisions on regimes, policies and norms, aiming to achieve economic and social development objectives. When making state budget expenditure estimates, attention should be paid to the following contents:

a/ To make development investment expenditure estimates towards continuing implementing measures to review, reallocate and readjust investment capital under the Government's Resolution No. 10/2008/NQ-CP of April 17,2008. and the Prime Minister's Decision No. 390/QD-TTg of April 17. 2008. and concentrate on increasing the effectiveness of the use of investment capital, contributing to curbing inflation, stabilizing the macro economy and boosting economic growth.

Development investment expenditure estimates for 2009 should concentrate on allocating development investment funds for socio-economic development programs and the reduction of poverty in the 2006-2010 period, prioritizing the allocation of capital to key national projects and works and priority investment targets of the State; continue prioritizing the allocation of investment capital for developing human resources in the domains of education and training, science and technology, health and people's healthcare.

Ministries, branches and localities shall arrange development investment expenditure estimates of 2009 mainly for: ensuring adequate contributed domestic capital in ODA projects; refunding advanced amounts to the state budget: concentrating capital for works and projects to be completed and commissioned in 2009, transitional works, key projects and works which will operate effectively, and other urgent works: ensuring capital for investment preparation work; paying debts for completed capital construction volumes of works. To restrict to the maximum new construction. To resolutely postpone projects which are not included in approved planning, have not yet completed all prescribed procedures or still meet with problems in investment procedures or have not yet completed ground clearance, and other non-urgent and inefficient projects.

To supplement targeted development investment capital from the central budget to local budgets under decisions of competent authorities, with priority given to difficulty -stricken localities in the northern midland and mountainous regions, the Central Highlands, the western southern region, ethnic minority areas and other difficult areas; to provide investment capital supports for border localities; to add investment capital for implementing national target programs, program. 135 (phase II) and the five million hectares afforestation project, and contributed domestic capital for ODA projects; to support localities with investment capital in upgrading provincial-level health networks and national cultural relics.

b/ To make expenditure estimates for the development of education and training, culture, health, environment, science and technology, social affairs, defense, security, state administration, and operations of Party and mass organizations according to current policies, regimes and norms; to prioritize development of human resources; to ensure budget funds for education and training, science and technology, culture and information and environmental protection according to requirements set in resolutions of the Party and the National Assembly, with budget funds allocated in 2009 to education, training and vocational training to reach 20% of total state budget expenditures'¹'[1]; science and technology 2% and environmental protection over 1%; to increase funds for the health sector higher than the average expenditure increase level of the state budget. In the process of making state budget estimates for 2009. ministries, branches and localities shall base themselves on the Government's Decree No. 130/2005/ND-CP of October 17, 2005. or. assigning autonomy and accountability for the use of payrolls and administrative management funds to all state agencies; public non-business units must base themselves on the Government's Decree No. 43/2006/ND-CP of April 25,2006. stipulating the autonomy and accountability for task performance, apparatus organization, payrolls and finance for public non-business units (particularly for scientific and technological units, they will base themselves on the Government's Decree No. 115/2005/ND-CP of September 5. 2005. stipulating the mechanism of autonomy and accountability of public scientific and technological organizations); to switch on a pilot basis a number of selected public non-business units to operate under the mechanisms applicable to enterprises. On this basis, to restructure the spending tasks of the state budget in an appropriate manner. Ministries, branches and localities shall, within the scope of their management functions and tasks, step up the effective socialization of public services according to the Government's regulations.

c/ Regarding expenditure estimates for national target programs, program 13.5 (phase II) and the five million hectares afforestation project: Ministries and program-managing agencies shall base themselves on the Prime Minister's decisions approving these programs in the 2006-2010 period, and expected implementation results of 2008 to evaluate each program and project against the set objectives, requirements and plans, then evaluate the effectiveness of state budget spending, carefully analyzing achieved results as well as limitations, their causes and proposing solutions. On this basis, to identity the objectives, specific tasks and budget estimates for national target programs, program 135 (phase 11) and the five million hectares afforestation project, send them to the Ministry. of Planning and investment ana the Ministry of Finance for inclusion in the 2009 state budget estimate, reporting to the Government, and submission to the National Assembly in accordance with the Law on Suite Budget.

d/To take the initiative in balancing suite budget funds to ensure funds for the salary reform in the coming time; at the same time to continue mobilizing other financial sources according to regulations. Ministries, branches, central agencies, localities and units using state budget funds shall take the initiative in implementing every measure according to regulations to generate funding sources for the salary reform as guided in 2008.

e/ For programs and projects funded with official development assistance (ODA) capital, estimates must be made in the order prescribed in the Law on State Budget and guiding documents, the Government's decrees on management of investment and capital construction and management and use of ODA capital, with attention being paid to making detailed estimates of ODA capital and contributed domestic capital as well as capital construction investment capital and nonbusiness capital for each program and project, which are suitable to their implementation schedule.

f/ Ministries, central agencies and localities assigned to implement projects funded with capital raised from government bonds under programs on transport, irrigation, district-level health and construction of permanent school buildings and classrooms should expeditiously make projections on the implementation capacity and capital demand in 2009. send them to ministries and agencies assigned to manage investment programs funded with capital raised from government bonds for synthesis and sending to the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance for reporting to the Government and the National Assembly. The Social Policy Bank shall make projections on the demand for capital raised from government bonds for lending to pupils and students in 2009. send them to the Ministry of Finance for synthesis and submission to the Government before reporting to the National Assembly according to regulations.

g/ The central budget and local budgets at all levels shall prioritize the arrangement of budget reserves at a high level in accordance with the Law on State Budget for coping with natural disasters, floods and epidemics, performing social security tasks and unexpected urgent and important tasks.

h/ In the process of making state budget estimates for 2009. ministries, branches and localities shall take the initiative in anticipating all spending needs for implementing new policies, regimes and tasks (if any), especially social security policies: ensure the implementation of regimes and policies to be introduced in 2009, balance adequate resources and prevent the lack of funds for performing regular tasks, regimes and policies already issued and new tasks already decided by competent authorities.

For ministries and localities making on a pilot basis medium-term financial plans and expenditure plans under the Prime Minister's Decision No. 432/ QD-TTg of April 21,2003, they should associate the making of these plans for the 2009-2011 period with the making of budget estimates for 2009. To assign the Ministry of Finance to provide specific guidance on this task.

Making of local budget estimates at all levels: 2009 is the third year of the 2007-2010 local budget stabilization period already decided by the National Assembly. People's Committees at ail levels shall make their local budget estimates on the basis of decentralized revenue sources and spending tasks, revenue division percentages (%) and additional allocations from higher-level budgets to lower-level budgets (if any) at stable levels decided by the National Assembly, the National Assembly Standing Committee and People's Councils and assigned by the Prime Minister and People's Committees in 2007. Therefore, in making budget estimates for 2009. localities should closely follow the objectives and tasks of the 2(X)9 state budget mentioned in Clauses 1,2 and 3, Section II of this Directive. At the same time, attention should be paid to the following issues:

a/ Local state budget revenue estimates must be made on the basis of the 2006-2010 socioeconomic development objectives and plans already passed by the People's Councils at all levels, the possibility of realizing the 2008 socioeconomic and state budget targets, forecasts about economic growth and revenue sources in 2009 in every sector, domain and economic establishment in localities, with attention paid to expected new revenue sources, so as to accurately and fully project revenue sources in each sector and kinds of revenue according to regulations. Estimated domestic revenues (excluding those from crude oil and land use levies) must increase at least 17-19%, and estimated revenues from import and export activities must increase at least 5-7% compared to the expected achieved figures of 2008.

b/ Making of local budget expenditure estimates:

- On the basis of revenue sources belonging to local budgets as centralized, the percentage of sharing of revenues between central and local

budgets, additional allocations from the central budget to local budgets (if any), which are kept unchanged. to determine local budget expenditure sources. Localities should prioritize funds for achieving local socio-economic development objectives in line with national and local plans, paying attention to concentrating resources for education and training, science and technology and environmental protection in accordance with resolutions of the Party and the National Assembly, and assurance of social security.

- For targeted additional allocations from the central budget to local budgets, such as those made under national target programs, program 135, the five million hectares afforestation program and other important programs and projects, they shall be determined on the basis of criteria and norms for allocation of development investment capital under the Prime Minister's Decision No. 210/2006/ QD-TTg of September 12, 2(X)6. and relevant guiding documents.

c/ For the source of revenues being collected land use levies, localities shall take the initiative in projecting collected amounts on the basis of their plannings and plans and collection capacity: at the same time, make plans on the allocation of capital construction investment funds corresponding to this source of revenues for socio-economic infrastructure works, relocation and resettlement and construction ground preparation projects; and give priority to allocating sufficient funds for conducting surveys and building databases for use in cadastral dossiers and certification of land use rights in accordance with the Land Law and resolutions of the National Assembly.

d/ Revenues from construction lotteries shall be used for investment in social welfare works in localities. Their collection and spending shall be managed through the state budget (not included in the state budget balance). The People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities shall project collectible revenue amounts and make plans on the allocation and use of these amounts and submit them to the People's Councils or the same level for decision. They shall allocate sufficient funds for basically achieving the education and healthcare objectives (at least 20% of these funds shall be used for the Scheme on building permanent school buildings and classrooms and official-duty houses for teachers in the 2008-2012 period): only after sufficient funds have been allocated for basically achieving the education and healthcare objectives, can the remainder be used for investment in other social welfare works in localities.

e/ Localities shall take the initiative in calculating and reserving resources for the salary reform in 2009 on the principles already applied in 2008. To assign the Ministry of Finance to provide specific guidance on this task.

f/ To make estimates of funding sources to be mobilized for development investment in accordance with the Law on State Budget and the Government's Decree No. 60/2003/ND-CP of June 6,2003; at the same time, to take the initiative in allocating local budget funds for paying borrowed and raised amounts (both principal and interest) which become due in accordance with law.

g/Localities shall take the initiative in allocating money for price and freight subsidies suitable to local realities regarding commodities, products, subsidy levels and subsidized areas, etc.

h/ On the basis of the local budgets' balancing capacity and the situation of execution of estimates of targeted additional allocations from the central budget to local budgets in 200S. current policies and regulations, to make expenditure estimates for projects and tasks in need of targeted additional allocations from the central budget under Point b, Clause 2. Article 29 of the Government's Decree No. 60/2003/ND-CP of June 6,2003. detailing and guiding the implementation of the Law on State Budget.

5. Together with making state budget estimates for 2009. ministries, branches, central agencies, localities and units using state budget funds shall take the initiative in assessing and analyzing in detail execution results of 2008; focusing on directing the settlement of the 2007 budget in accordance with the Law on State Budget, publicize the 2006 state budget settlement figures: handle and settle right from the stage of budget estimation constraints and violations already detected and recommended by inspection and audit agencies in accordance with law.

In the process of making state budget estimates for 2009, ministries, branches, central agencies, local administrations at all levels, and units shall thoroughly implement the Government's action program and their action programs on thrift practice, waste combat and corruption prevention and combat: and ensure that budget estimates are made and budgets are allocated and used in a truly thrifty and efficient manner.

Ministries and central agencies shall make budget expenditure estimates for each executing unit and important spending task, and make clear and detailed explanation reports on their budget revenue and expenditure estimates for 2009 according to regulations, and send these reports to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Planning and Investment for synthesis and reporting to the Government.

B. PLANNING TIME TABLE AND IMPLEMENTATION ASSIGNMENT

I. PLANNING TIMETABLE

1. In June 2008. the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance shall give guidance on a framework plan on socio-economic development and state budget estimate for 2009: and the Ministry of Finance shall guide the making of medium-term financial plans and spending plans for the 2009-2011 period.

2. In June and July 2008, ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-attached agencies, other central agencies, localities, agencies and other units using state budget funds shall start making socio-economic development plans and state budget estimates for 2009, and medium-term financial plans and spending plans for the 2009-2011 period (for ministries and localities participating in the pilot scheme): and send plan reports to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance and the State Audit before July 20,2008.

3. In August 2008. the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance shall synthesize the socio-economic development plan and state estimates for 2009 and propose plans on allocation of planned and state budget norms.

4. In September 2008. the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance shall report to the Government the socio economic development plan and state budget for 2009. for the Government to submit them to the National Assembly in accordance with the Law on State Budget.

5. Before November 20, 2008. the Prime Minister shall assign the 2009 socio-economic development plans and budget estimates to ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-attached agencies, localities, agencies and other units on the basis of the National Assembly's resolutions on the 2009 state budge: estimate and tasks.

6. Before November 25, 2008. the Ministry of

Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance shall provide detailed guidance to ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-attached agencies, other central agencies, localities, agencies, units and other organizations using state budget funds.

7. Before December 10, 2008. ministries, braches and localities shall make decisions on the allocation of plans and budget estimates to their subordinate units on the basis of tasks assigned by the Prime Minister and the guidance of the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance.

II. ASSIGNMENT OF IMPLEMENTATION RESPONSIBILITIES

1.The Ministry of Planning and Investment:

a/To assume the prime responsibility for. and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance in. calculating and deciding on plans and major balances as the basis for ministries, branches and localities to formulate their 2009 socio-economic development plans and state budget estimates.

b/ To provide guidance on the making and synthesis of the 2009 socio-economic development plan: and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance in guiding ministries and localities participating in the pilot scheme to make medium-term financial plans and spending plans for the 2009-2011 period.

c/To assume the prime responsibility for. and coordinate with concerned ministries and agencies in holding working meetings with ministries, central agencies and provincial/municipal People's Committees (in accordance with the Law on Slate Budget) on the 2009 socio-economic development plan and the estimate of development investment expenditures from the state budget in 2009.

d/To assume the prime responsibility for. and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance in. proposing plans on allocation of development investment funds from the central budget to ministries and central agencies and targeted additional allocations from the central budget to local budgets for implementing important programs and projects already approved by competent authorities: to appraise and synthesize plans on allocation of expenditure estimates to national target programs. Program 135 and the five million hectares afforestation project.

e/ To assume the prime responsibility for." and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and the Hanoi City People's Committee and concerned localities in implementing the development investment plan of 2008 and making an investment development plan for 2009 on the basis of the adjusted administrative boundaries of Hanoi capital under the National Assembly's resolution at the 3^rd session of the XII^th National Assembly.

2. The Ministry of Finance:

a/ To guide ministries, branches and localities in evaluating the execution of the 2008 suite budget estimates and formulate state budget estimates for 2009: to assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment in. guiding ministries and localities participating in the pilot scheme to make medium-term financial plans and spending plans for the 2009-2011 period.

b/To assume the prime responsibility for. and coordinate with concerned ministries and agencies in. holding working sessions with ministries, central agencies and provincial/municipal People's Committees (in accordance with the Law on State Budget) on the 2009 slate budget estimates and medium-term financial plans and spending plans for the 2009-2011 period (for ministries and localities participating in the pilot scheme).

c/ To assume the prime responsibility for proposing plans on allocation of regular expenditures of the 2009 state budget and estimating targeted additional allocations for regular expenditures from the central budget to local budgets.

d/To assume the prime responsibility for. and coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and concerned agencies in. making and synthesizing 2009 state budget estimates and making a plan on allocation of the 2009 central budget, then submit them to the Government for submission to the National Assembly for decision.

e/ To assume the prime responsibility for. and coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Hanoi City People's Committee and concerned localities in. executing the 2008 state budget estimate and making a state budget estimate for 2009 on the basis of the adjusted administrative boundaries of Hanoi capital under the National Assembly's resolution at the 3^rd session of the XII^m National Assembly.

3. Ministries and agencies in charge of managing national target programs, the five million hectare afforestation project, trade, investment and tourism promotion programs which are jointly implemented by different ministries, units and localities:

a/To guide concerned ministries, agencies, units and localities to evaluate the execution of the 2008 budget estimates and make budget estimates for 2009.

b/ To assume the prime responsibility for. ana coordinate with concerned agencies in. projective tasks and plans on allocation of budget expenditure estimates (within the limit of the total fund notified by the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance) for every concerned ministry agency, unit and locality, send them to the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance for appraisal and synthesis and submission to the Government and the National Assembly for decision.

4. Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-attached agencies, other central agencies, localities, agencies, units and organizations using state budget funds:

a/To coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance in formulating socio-economic development tasks and budget estimates for the sectors and domains under their management and for their own agencies, units or organizations.

b/ Ministries and state agencies shall, according to their functions and on the basis of calculation of exploitable resources, formulate socio-economic targets, propose new solutions, mechanisms, policies and regimes or amendments or supplements to current regimes and policies, submit them to competent authorities for promulgation before the time of making of state budget estimates (before July 20,2008) and notify the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance and concerned ministries and agencies thereof for use as a basis for the making of their socio-economic development plans and budget estimates for 2009.

5. Provincial/municipal People's Committees:

a/ To guide, organize and direct provincial/ municipal Planning and Investment Services and Finance Services to closely coordinate with other services and branches in making socio-economic development plans and state budget estimates; to gather public comments on the draft socioeconomic development plans so as to obtain high consensus thereon before submitting them to competent authorities for decision: and report them to central agencies according to regulations.

b/The Hanoi City People's Committee and concerned localities shall coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance in performing the tasks specified at Point e, Clause 1, Section II. Pan B and Point e, Clause 2, Section II. Part B of this Directive. The Prime Minister requests ministers, heads c: ministerial-level agencies, heads of government attached agencies, other central agencies, presidents of provincial/municipal People's Committees, and heads of agencies, units and organizations using state budget funds to organize the implementation of this Directive.