Press digest – March 5

 Government issues February meeting Resolution

The Government has issued a resolution on its February meeting with important tasks for the coming time stated.

Ministries, sectors and localities were asked to seek measures and intensively implement assigned tasks to ease difficulties and create favorable conditions for production and trade with a focus on reviewing and improving the market economy mechanism, boosting administrative reforms in taxation, customs, social welfare, land, construction, power access, business establishement and insolvency.

The resolution asked for more effective coordination among State management agencies in realizing the master plan on restructuring the economy and approved schemes on restructuring sectors.
 
Ha Noi urged to better socio-economic development

PM Nguyen Tan Dung has urged Ha Noi to better implement socio-economic tasks during a meeting with the capital’s leaders.

On behalf of the Government, PM Dung praised Ha Noi’s achievements in socio-economic development and expressed his hope that the city would promote ít strengths, uphold responsibility and overcome shorcomings to realize targets set for 2015.
 
According to Chairman of the Ha Noi Municipal People’s Committee NguyenThe Thao, in 2015, Ha Noi will strive for a growth rate of 9-9.5%, a VND75-77 million income per capita, a 11-12% rise in social investment, an 8-9% increase in export turnover and 55 more communes to be recognized as new-style rural areas.

Electricity prices to rise 7.5% from mid-March
 
Electricity prices will be increased by 7.5% to an average of VND1,622.05 per kWh from March 16, as approved by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at a Government meeting.

The 7.5% increase will help EVN avoid and compensate for losses (about VND8 trillion or US$380.95 million at present) from exchange rate disparities in recent years. If the price of electricity is not adjusted, EVN’s losses would exceed VND12 trillion (over US$571.42 million) in 2015.

Deputy PM Minh receives new Dutch Ambassador
 
Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh received new Ambassador of the Netherlands Catharina Trooster in Ha Noi.

The Vietnamese host said the two countries’ relations have seen progress forwards in various fields, citing the establishment of the strategic partnership in climate change resilience and water management in October 2010 and in agriculture and food security in June 2014, Minh noted. 

For her part, Catharina Trooster said that she will exert maximal efforts to intensify the two countries’ cooperation and the friendship between the two peoples.
 
Two VN banks listed among top 500 brands

The Viet Nam Bank for Industry and Trade (VietinBank) and Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Foreign Trade of Viet Nam (Vietcombank)banks have taken spots on the latest list of the world’s top 500 most valuable banking brands.

This is the third time VietinBank and the first time Vietcombank have been named among the world's 500 most valuable banking brands.
                                                         

                                                                                                Source: VNA, VOV, VGP