VNA Nearly 7% of GDP for development: Finance Minister Vietnam will spend VND 32,860 billion, about US $2,27 billion, or 6.6% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for development, while trying to keep budget overspending to less than 5% of GDP this year, says Finance Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung. "Social investment must reach 30% of GDP, including 6.6% of GDP for development to ensure a GDP growth rate of 7.5% as set by the National Assembly," Mr Hung says in an interview with Hanoi Moi (New Hanoi) newspaper yesterday. He emphasises: "The State budget has been restructured as part of efforts to reduce regular spending and increase development investment which will account for 28.3% of total State budget expenditure in 2001. "State budget investment for capital construction this year will focus mainly on key national projects, particularly those planned to be completed in 2001. "Priority will be given agricultural and irrigation projects, schemes to overcome the consequences of flooding in the Mekong delta and projects for socio-economic development in remote mountain and poverty-stricken regions as well as counterpart capital invested for ODA projects," he says. The Finance Minister says the ministry has introduced eight measures to ensure budget revenues - including measures to prevent tax loss and arrears as well as prosecuting smuggling, tax evasion and commercial fraud. He says: "Total budget revenue reached 108% of the yearly plan last year, a year-on-year rise of 6%." He attributes the revenue increase to implementation of the preferential tax policy aimed at encouraging production and business and the adjustment of the Value-Added Tax, VAT, applied to some products as well as the import-export tax rate to conform with price hikes in the international market. (VNA) **** Promotion of learning meeting held The third meeting of the Vietnam Association for Promotion of Learning Central Committee opened in Ho Chi Minh City on February 19 under the chairmanship of its President Vu Oanh. Member of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee's, CPVCC, Politburo and secretary of Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, Nguyen Minh Triet; member and head of the Commission for Science and Technology of the CPV CC, Dang Huu; and deputy head of the National Assembly's Cultural and Educational Department, Luong Ngoc Toan, attended. Participants heard the Central Committee's instructions for the application and development of information technology and a review of the National Assembly's Education Resolution. Reviewing its work in 2000, the association reported that it had developed an emulation movement to encourage people to learn intended to develop education, raise the people's knowledge while training personnel, fostering talented youth and encouraging the entire people to take part in education. The association had also extended its branches to 46 provinces and cities, helping restore and develop the country's education. This year it will continue fostering the Vietnamese people's tradition for overcoming harsh conditions to learn; develop branches in all provinces; raise the quality of its activities and intensify the education movement. (VNA) **** Two pupils win first prize in knowledge contest A pupil from Ha Long secondary school in Quang Ninh province, Le Trong Tuan, and another from Kim Lien secondary school in Hanoi, Tran Quang Huy, have won first prize in a knowledge contest named 'We will Win.' With 60 questions on the history and content of newspapers of the Youth Union and Vietnam Students' Association, together with mathematical problems and quiz, the contest requires a deductive mind, intelligence, speed and sensitiveness of students and pupils. Having been launched since November last year, the contest attracted the participation of 30,000 students and pupils. The prize presentation ceremony was held yesterday at Kim Lien secondary school by the Vietnam Students' Association and Vietnam Students' and Pupils' Flower newspapers. **** 80% pupils to international contests win prizes One hundred and seventy seven out of 218 pupils, who have attended contests for international excellent pupils in 31 countries over the past ten years, won prizes, accounting for 81.2%. This was according the Ministry of Education and Training. They have won 37 gold medals, 72 silvers, 63 bronzes and five consolation prizes. Of these prizes, Mathematics made up 35%; Physics, 20%; Chemistry, 10%; Information science, 20%; Biology, 5% and Russian, 10%. **** Britain helps army officers with English A British Embassy-sponsored English language training course for Vietnam Defence Ministry officers ended in Hanoi on February 19. The three-month advanced English course given by experienced British lecturers benefited 42 officers, some of them teachers of English at military schools. The British Embassy's Deputy Head of Mission, Jane Owen, who attended the course-ending ceremony, presented several language-teaching aids to Defence Ministry corp 871. (VNA) **** Vietnam, Kuwait news agencies sign exchange agreement An agreement for information exchange was signed between Vietnam News Agency, VNA, and Kuwaiti news agency, KUNA, in Kuwait City on February 18. The signing took place during the first meeting of the executive board of the Organisation of Asian-Pacific News Agencies, OANA, and the Secretariat of the Federation of Arab News Agencies, FANA. Signatories were KUNA President and General Director Mohammed Al Ajeeri, and VNA Deputy General Director Nguyen Duy Cuong. The agreement is intended to promote co-operation in information exchange, personnel training and support between correspondents and the supply of documentary information and data. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
