Growth quality in focus at HCM City People’s Council session

Opening the session, Chairwoman of the People’s Council Nguyen Thi Quyet Tam said the local political and social situation was ensured while important socio-economic achievements were obtained in the first half of 2017.

Aside from the attainments, the city is also working hard to tackle existing problems such as limited resources for development investment, unsustainable growth and mechanisms and policies not providing enough momentum for development. Flooding, traffic congestion, pollution, urban management, administrative reform, food safety, corruption, crimes also remain issues of public concern.

That fact has hampered HCM City’s development and affected local residents’ living standards, she noted.

She asked members of the People’s Council to devise solutions to improve economic growth quality so as to achieve the gross regional domestic product (GRDP) target of 8.4 – 8.7 percent in 2017. 

They also need to look into ways to restore order on both roads and pavements, make breakthroughs in administrative reform while ensuring social welfare and social order and safety, Tam added.

Reporting on the local socio-economic development in the year’s first half, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Thanh Liem said HCM City’s economy continued to grow at a faster pace than the same period of 2016 with a GRDP growth rate of 7.76 percent.

The implementation of a plan on developing 500,000 enterprises by 2020 has created a more favourable business climate, resulting in the establishment of more than 20,000 companies. Foreign direct investment reached US$2.3 billion, doubling the figure in last year’s corresponding period.

Liem said in the remaining six months, the city will continue to drastically carry out socio-economic development solutions. It is determined to gain a GRDP growth rate of 8.4 – 8.7 percent, have 50,000 new firms set up, and promote its Public Administration Performance Index, Provincial Competitiveness Index and Public Administration Reform Index.

The fifth session of the municipal People’s Council is scheduled to last through July 6.