Hanoi (VNA) – In an article issued on the first day of 2019, Prime MinisterNguyen Xuan Phuc laid out six major tasks that ministries, agencies, sectorsand localities must focus on throughout the year.

First, it is necessary to focus on economic development, with an emphasison consolidating the macroeconomy, implementing stringent fiscal policies, andkeeping overspending rate lower than 3.6 percent of the country’s grossdomestic product (GDP).

2019would continue to be a year with stronger commitments towards restructuringpublic investment and restructuring of State-owned enterprises as well ascredit institutions.

Studieswould be needed to figure out measures to boost the growth of industriesconsidered to be ‘drivers of growth’ such as processing, manufacturing,high-tech agriculture, information technology, tourism and urban development,the Government leader wrote.

“Robustimplementation” of measures to boost the country’s rankings in businessenvironment, competitiveness, investors’ protection and cross-border tradewould need special attention in 2019, he said.

Second, cultural and social development must be in tandem with economicdevelopment, in line with the spirit ‘leaving no one behind.’

Allagencies and local administrations are told to prepare ahead of theimplementation of the Party Central Committee’s resolutions on reforms ofsalary, social insurance and medical programmes.

Third, resources and environmental management must be enhanced, andmeasures devised to cope with climate change and natural disasters. The landlaw would need to be consolidated, with stricter controls and harsher penaltiesexpected for violations of regulations on land management and extractiveactivities, PM Phuc wrote.

Hecalled for “comprehensive solutions” to handle waste in rural areas, highlyconcentrated residential areas and in major delta areas.

Projectsto prevent and alleviate natural disasters’ consequences and cope with climatechange would need to be expedited, especially in the Mekong Delta, the centralcoastal region, the Central Highlands and the northern uplands.

Fourth, in 2019, the Government would need to step up efforts ine-Government building and administrative reforms.

Expeditionof high-profile economic mismanagement, more stringent implementation ofanti-corruption law, with a focus on creating a corruption-free environment,promoting cashless transactions and transparency in public administration andselection of cadres can be expected in the next year.

Fifth, national security and order would continue to be consolidated.The Government leader also stressed that the national socio-economic andcultural development need to go hand in hand with ensuring national defence andsecurity via proactive measures to foil the plots of ‘hostile forces.’

Thepublic security agencies would focus on tackling organised crime, such asdrugs, theft gangs, high-tech criminal activities and loan sharks.

Healso urged for more active contributions from Vietnam to enhance its standingin multilateral forums and organisations, early issuance of the plan toeffectively implement the new-generation trade pacts, such as the Comprehensiveand Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and EuropeanUnion-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

Sixth, mass communication efforts must be stepped up to create ‘socialconsensus.’ Press agencies would hold necessary programmes to disseminate theParty and State’s policies and directions, instructions and information onissues of public interest.

Thoseabusing the freedom of information and free speech, causing harm to theinterests of the State and citizens would receive appropriate punishments.

Concludingthe article, PM Phuc called for the unity and concerted efforts from allclasses of people to fulfill the tasks laid out for 2019, which wouldcontribute to the achievements of development goals in the five-year plan2016-2020 and “create a firm foundation and conducive environment” for thecountry to flourish sustainably in the coming period.-VNA