The stabilisation of prices topped the new government’s agenda, followed by food hygiene and traffic safety, as these were the outstanding problems in the past seven months.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) reported that the nation’s consumer price index (CPI) rose by 6.19 percent in the past seven months, compared with 4.4 percent of the same period last year, while bird flu and several pig diseases threatened to spread. Traffic accidents were on the rise, raising the alarm in society.

The PM also asked all ministries, branches and localities to work out detailed plans on administrative reform and strictly follow these plans.

“All cabinet members must work harder to build a transparent and strong administrative apparatus of the people, by the people and for the people,” he said at the meeting.

Hunger eradication and poverty reduction continued to be a highlight in the government’s task list, he said, urging all agencies and localities to include it in their socio-economic development programmes.

According to the MPI’s report, the country’s industrial production value in the first seven months of the year was estimated at VND325.9 trillion, a year-on-year rise of 17 percent. The growth was propelled by the non-State economic sector with an increase of 20.4 percent and the foreign-invested sector with a rise of 18.9 percent. The State economic sector increased by 9.7 percent.

The cabinet also discussed handing over functions, responsibilities, organisation, staff, financial status and property of some merged and disbanded ministries into the new ministries of Industry and Trade, Culture, sports and Tourism, Agriculture and Rural Development, Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, and Information and Communication. The handover would be completed in August, with the ministries of Home Affairs, Finance and Public Security assigned to oversee the reorganisation.

At a press briefing on the results of the first cabinet meeting, Minister of Home Affairs Tran Van Tuan said that from now until the end of the year, the government’s organising work will focus on defining the functions, tasks, power and structure of ministries, ministerial level agencies and Government agencies.

In September and October, ministers and heads of the offices have to submit the draft decrees to the Government for review.