Scheme for economic and social development linked with security and defense protection of the Central Highlands of Vietnam

Scheme for economic and social development linked with security and defense protection of the Central Highlands of Vietnam (Internet image)

On May 3, 2024, the Ministry of Transport issued Decision 506/QD-BGTVT on the Implementation Plan of the Ministry of Transport for the Scheme for economic and social development linked with security and defense protection of the Central Highlands of Vietnam.

Scheme for economic and social development linked with security and defense protection of the Central Highlands of Vietnam

To achieve the objectives and tasks outlined in Decision No. 104, in addition to regular duties, the units under the Ministry need to proactively implement the tasks and solutions stated in Decision No. 104. The focus should be on the following key tasks:

(1) Organizing the thorough study of the Implementation Plan for Decision No. 104

The heads of units under the Ministry will launch research and thorough study of the implementation plan among all party members, officials, public employees, and employees under their management authority to create high unity in awareness at all levels about the role, position, and importance of the Central Highlands.

Unified viewpoint is to prioritize resources for investment in developing the economic and social infrastructure of the Central Highlands, especially key transportation routes between provinces, between the Central Highlands and the Southeast region and the Central coastal region; connecting inter-regional production of goods; roads to the centers of communes, villages, and inter-village roads; international connectivity within the framework of the Mekong Sub-region Cooperation, the Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia development triangle, and ASEAN countries.

Leading agencies: Units under the Ministry of Transport.

Implementation period: Regularly.

(2) Improving institutional framework and planning

- Coordinating with relevant ministries in reviewing and adjusting legal regulations on investment, public investment, public-private partnership investment methods, etc. to remove difficulties and obstacles in construction investment; promoting decentralization, delegation of authority, and mobilizing maximum resources to create breakthroughs for the development of transportation infrastructure, in which public investment plays a leading role, effectively activating resources outside the state budget.

- Close coordination with localities in the process of regional planning, provincial planning, specialized transportation planning according to the Law on Planning, ensuring the integration of transportation planning content into regional and provincial planning.

Leading agencies: (1) Planning and Investment Department shall direct and coordinate with the Legal Affairs Department on establishing mechanisms and policies; (2) Planning and Investment Department - direct matters regarding planning, infrastructure investment in transportation.

Coordinating agencies: Departments, Institutes of Transportation Strategy and Development.

Implementation period: regularly and according to the planning period.

(3) Prioritizing investment in the development of transportation infrastructure in the Central Highlands

- Strengthening coordination between the central and local authorities in land clearance work, accelerating the progress of ongoing projects and projects that have mobilized funding to ensure quality and progress.

- Prioritizing the development of road and air routes, focusing on resolving traffic congestion points in the region to ensure the spread and inter-regional connectivity of the Central Highlands with the Central Coast and the Southeast region to exploit and promote the potential and advantages of the Central Highlands.

- Coordinating and supporting localities in the process of studying and investing in expressways: Quy Nhon - Pleiku, Khanh Hoa - Buon Ma Thuot, Tan Phu - Bao Loc, Bao Loc - Lien Khuong, Gia Nghia - Chon Thanh, some sections of the North-South expressway; expanding Lien Khuong, Pleiku, and Buon Ma Thuot airports; restoring and renovating the Thap Cham - Da Lat railway line; the railway line connecting the Central Highlands (Da Nang - Kon Tum - Gia Lai - Dak Lak - Dak Nong - Binh Phuoc)...

Leading agencies: Planning and Investment Department, Construction Investment Management Department, Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam, Vietnam Railway Administration, and Vietnam Expressway Administration according to their assigned functions and tasks.

Coordinating agencies: Departments, Bureaus, Departments of Transport, Institutes of Transportation Strategy and Development.

Implementation period: According to the investment progress of the approved plan.

(4) Mobilizing resources to invest in the development of transportation infrastructure in the region.

- Coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance to prioritize resources for the development of economic and social infrastructure in the Central Highlands region; guide and coordinate investment in inter-regional connectivity of goods production, roads to the centers of communes, villages, hamlets, and inter-village roads.

- Enhance decentralization and delegation of authority to localities to invest in infrastructure managed by the central government within the provinces, especially in transportation projects to maximize the proactive nature of localities and mobilize all resources for investment in transportation infrastructure development.

- Coordinate and support localities in promoting and mobilizing all legal capital sources for investment in regional transportation infrastructure development, including logistics centers, dry ports connected to major transportation hubs.

Leading agency: (1) Department of Planning and Investment.

Implementing agencies: Departments

Implementation period: according to the investment capital allocation plan of the competent authority.

(5) Solutions and policies for the development of transportation infrastructure

- Issue a plan to determine a specific roadmap for implementing the Economic and Social Development Plan associated with the protection of security and defense in the Central Highlands region in the attached Appendix.

- Efficiently exploit the existing transportation infrastructure system. Organize traffic scientifically and effectively; build and implement maintenance plans for transportation infrastructure to ensure the quality of the works, promptly address damages, incidents, potential black spots that may pose traffic safety risks; strengthen the management and protection of traffic safety corridors and effectively exploit the safe road corridors.

- Enhance the application of science and technology in the management, operation, design, construction, organization of transportation, exploitation, and maintenance of transportation infrastructure to accelerate progress, improve quality, reduce project costs; protect the environment, cope with climate change; encourage the application of new technologies and materials.

- Review, develop, and improve standards, technical regulations, economic and technical norms in survey, design, construction, acceptance, maintenance, etc. in the transport sector. Improve the technical standards of roads in accordance with ASEAN road standards to ensure international connectivity and integration.

- Develop transportation infrastructure to meet transport demand, ensure traffic safety, integrate and incorporate climate change, rising sea levels, and use energy efficiently and effectively in the planning stage of projects.

- Coordinate closely between the Ministry of Transport and localities in promoting the implementation of transportation infrastructure connection projects between Vietnam and countries in the Mekong Sub-region, especially within the framework of Mekong Sub-region Cooperation, the Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia Development Triangle, and ASEAN countries.

Leading agencies: (1) Department of Planning and Investment in charge of capital planning and investment policy (for projects under the Ministry's management); (2) Vietnam Expressway Management and Investment Corporation and the Vietnam Highway Administration in charge of the feasibility study report and investment implementation in the initial stage (for projects under the Ministry's management); provide technical support to localities during the investment preparation and implementation process (for projects under local authorities' management); (3) Department of Science, Technology, and Environment in charge of science and technology development, improvement of standards and regulations, environmental protection work; (4) International Cooperation Department in charge of implementing cooperation programs with Laos, Cambodia, and ASEAN countries.

Implementing agencies: Departments.

Implementation period: regularly.

More details can be found in Decision 506/QD-BGTVT taking effect on May 3, 2024.

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