The meeting between the NA delegation and Ninh Thuan officials on April 13. (Photo: VNA)

The provincial People’s Committee reported that the parliament approved the construction of two nuclear power plants in Ninh Thuan in 2009. From the announcement of the plants’ locations to the time when construction halted under the NA’s Resolution No. 31/2016/QH14 issued on November 22, 2016, the life of local residents as well as orientations for the local socio-economic development were affected.

The Ninh Thuan authorities have coordinated with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and relevant sectors to carry out Resolution No. 31, it noted, adding that in August 2018, the Government issued Resolution No. 115/NQ-CP on special mechanisms and policies for helping the province boost socio-economic development and stabilise people’s life during 2018 - 2023.

Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Tran Quoc Nam said the Government’s Resolution No. 115 has helped Ninh Thuan turn difficulties and challenges into potential and advantages while strongly attracting investment.

However, some problems related to the laws on planning and public investment, as well as to the conversion of forest land, titanium planning, and procedures for investing in power transmission infrastructure have arisen, hampering the province from benefiting from many mechanisms and policies, he pointed out.

At the working session, officials of relevant ministries and sectors shared the view that the NA’s Resolution No. 31 was issued in 2016 while it was until two years later, in 2018, that the Government’ released Resolution No. 115. This has caused numerous difficulties for Ninh Thuan in resolution implementation. Meanwhile, there is only more than one year left before Resolution No. 115 expires, but many issues remain unresolved.

Recognising the fact that some residents in the areas previously zoned for building the nuclear power plants are still facing hardships, NA Vice Chairman Nguyen Duc Hai said the Government needs to review the implementation of Resolution No. 115 and work out solutions to the mechanisms and policies that haven’t come into force.

He requested accelerating the implementation of related mechanisms and policies, adding that the top priority is to assist residents to stabilise their life.

Hai asked Ninh Thuan to continue making use of its development speed, stepping up public investment disbursement, attracting strategic investors, and removing obstacles so that people can access the special mechanisms and policies.

He expressed his belief that with the NA and Government’s support, Ninh Thuan can address difficulties soon to promote socio-economic development.