State-owned businesses need tocontribute more to stabilising the macro-economy, maintaining growthand curbing inflation to achieve this year’s growth target of 6.5percent, said a government leader.

Prime MinisterNguyen Tan Dung delivered this request while chairing a session inHanoi on March 10 between the cabinet and state-owned groups andcorporations on tasks and solutions to implement the plans set for2010.

To reach these targets, PM Dung suggested state-owned enterprisesre-examine their production and business plans and deploy projects onschedule, shooting for an annual average growth rate of 10 percent.

The government will create favourable conditions in terms of proceduresfor businesses to carry out projects effectively, the PM said, notingthat as soon as each power, cement or fertiliser plant goes on line,they begin to contribute to raising the nation’s output and its GDP andto generating more jobs for workers.

To rein in inflation, the leader urged the state-owned sector to makespecific calculations so as to prevent speculation in goods.

Regarding social security, PM Dung called upon the economic giants tostep up production and business activities, increase the income ofworkers, and support the country’s 62 poorest districts insocio-economic development.

He took this occasion to applaud the efforts of the state-owned sectorin observing the Party and government’s guidelines and thuscontributing to the nation’s general socio-economic achievements in2009.

Despite various difficulties and challenges, Vietnam managed to recorda growth rate of 5.32 percent, and state-owned groups and corporationsmade up 42 percent of the nation’s GDP, the PM elaborated.

However, PM Dung also pointed out weaknesses and shortcomings faced bysuch businesses, citing their low productivity, weak competitiveness,scattered investments and limited application of scientific andtechnological advances./.