MoF proposes merging four national programmes to streamline resources

MoF proposes merging four national programmes to streamline resources

The Ministry of Finance has proposed consolidating four national target programmes into a single initiative to streamline resource allocation and give local authorities greater autonomy in implementation.

The Ministry of Finance (MoF) is developing a plan to merge the four programmes into one to improve resource management efficiency and strengthen decentralisation for local authorities.

The proposal follows the Politburo's policy and the prime ministerial direction set out in Notice No.368/TB-VPCP dated July 11 issued by the Government Office.

The Ministry of Finance has submitted reports to the Government Party Committee and the Government Standing Committee on the plan to consolidate the four NTPs into a single overarching programme.

Photo: baodautu.vn

The four programmes comprise the NTPs on new-style rural development, sustainable poverty reduction, and socioeconomic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas; on modernising and improving the quality of education and training; on cultural development; and on healthcare, population, and development.

Under the proposal, the MoF will report to the government for submission to the National Assembly a resolution maintaining the overall objectives and total resources for implementing the programmes, while authorising the government to prescribe in detail its contents, resource structure, and implementation mechanisms.

The consolidation plan is based on the principle of maintaining the objectives and tasks already approved by the National Assembly.

The programmes' contents will be reviewed and reorganised into groups based on the issues to be addressed, in line with the nature of the policies and objectives of each programme. At the same time, the plan must provide appropriate transitional solutions to ensure that approved tasks are not disrupted.

Another notable element is the restructuring of the state budget towards a target ratio of 75 per cent for public investment capital and 25 per cent for recurrent expenditure.

Management focal points will also be streamlined, with responsibilities assigned to the respective ministries in charge of sectors and fields for formulating objectives, tasks and criteria to assess implementation results based on required outputs. The MoF will perform its state budget management role in accordance with current regulations on state budget management.

On August 4, after receiving comments from government members and the Ministry of Justice, as well as consolidating proposals from ministries, central-level agencies and local authorities, the MoF submitted Proposal No.591/TTr-BTC to the government on completing the dossier for submission to the National Assembly regarding solutions to consolidate the NTPs.

Alongside research into the new management model, ministries and sectors continue to finalise policies for implementing individual programmes.

To date, the NTP on drug prevention and control and the integrated NTP covering new-style rural development, sustainable poverty reduction, and socioeconomic development have completed the full system of mechanisms, policies and implementation guidance documents.

For the NTP on cultural development, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has basically completed the basis for resource allocation and most management and implementation guidance documents.

Meanwhile, the NTP on healthcare, population and development and the NTP on modernising and improving the quality of education and training have completed the basis for resource allocation but are continuing to finalise implementation guidance documents.

Regarding the 2026–2030 medium-term public investment plan, the Prime Minister has assigned the first tranche of central budget capital to the integrated NTP and the NTP on drug prevention and control.

For the 2026 central budget estimate, the National Assembly has approved an allocation of $1.4 billion for implementation of the NTPs.

As of July 31, the Prime Minister had allocated more than $866.2 million to three programmes: the NTP on drug prevention and control, the NTP on cultural development, and the integrated NTP. Localities are completing plans to allocate the capital for implementation.

The MoF said that right after receiving allocation plans from ministries that meet the relevant requirements, it shall submit them to the competent authorities for consideration and approval of the 2026–2030 medium-term public investment plan funded by the central budget and the 2026 public investment capital plans for the programmes.

According to the MoF, disbursement of central budget funds for the NTPs in the 2026–2030 period remains low because most programmes are still completing procedures for assigning plans, allocating capital and issuing implementation guidance.

As of July 31, public investment capital for the 2026–2030 period had recorded disbursement of only about $3.76 million, equivalent to around 0.5 per cent of the plan. Recurrent expenditure disbursement stood at close to $1.1 million, equivalent to approximately 2.8 per cent of the estimate.

Regarding state budget funds from 2025 that the National Assembly allowed to be carried forward into 2026, the MoF is monitoring approximately $730 million in funds carried forward for implementation, including nearly $280 million in public investment capital and around $450 million in recurrent expenditure.

By the end of July, public investment capital under the programmes carried forward had reached approximately 30 per cent of the plan in disbursement, while recurrent expenditure had reached around 20 per cent of the estimate.

The MoF assessed this as a more upbeat result compared with the first months of the year, but said disbursement still needs to be accelerated to ensure completion in 2026.

Going forward, the MoF has proposed that the government continue directing ministries, sectors and localities to synchronously implement key tasks.

First, relevant ministries in charge of the NTPs should coordinate with the MoF to complete the plan for developing the overarching NTP, ensuring that the objectives and tasks of each programme are fully carried forward while improving the efficiency of resource management.

The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Industry and Trade have been asked to urgently finalise implementation guidance documents and plans for allocating the medium-term public investment plan and the 2026 central budget estimate, so that the MoF can submit them to the competent authorities for consideration and decision.

Ministries, central-level agencies, and localities also need to urgently complete the allocation and assignment of budget estimates and ensure sufficient provision of local counterpart funding; accelerate the disbursement of 2026 funds and funds carried forward from 2025.

At the same time, they should strengthen inspections, address problems, ensure the effective use of resources, and fulfil the objectives of the NTPs.

VIR