The Cabinet has identified four key tasks for the last quarter of this year, including keeping inflation rates at less than double digits, restructuring businesses and banks, creating jobs, and reducing poverty.

On September 27, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung chaired the monthly cabinet meeting. It concentrated on the socio-economic situation in September and over the last nine months

Cabinet members discussed why the consumer price index (CPI) in September hit a record high of 2.2 percent, the highest since the beginning of 2012.

According to the National Financial Supervisory Committee, the CPI increase in September stemmed from petrol, healthcare, and education price hikes. Healthcare costs suffered the highest rise of 23.8 percent.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MoPI) reported that the country’s GDP grew at 4.73 percent during the past 9 months. If GDP growth is maintained at a level between 6.-6.5 percent for the rest of the year, the whole year total of 5-5.2 percent, predicted by some international organisations, will be reached

PM Dung said despite efforts to ensure economic growth and social welfare, there were limitations in socio-economic development caused by unsteady macroeconomic growth and large inventories.

Mr Dung asked relevant ministries and sectors to submit possible solutions to year’s remaining tasks, emphasising the priority of stabilising the macroeconomic situation and curbing inflation.

Mr Dung also underscored the need to help businesses alleviate snags in production and boost exports of key products like rice, seafood, garments, textiles, and footwear.

He added greater attention should be devoted to restructuring State-run businesses and banks, creating more jobs, developing tourism, improving the financial, telecommunication and aviation sectors, and removing difficulties for the real estate market.

Cabinet ministers also discussed a report on solutions for value-added tax, the draft law on public investment, the ordinance on regulations relating to the “heroic mother” title, and a plan for public health insurance.

(VOV)