Urgently completing procedures for the Government’s approval of Ben Cat drainage and wastewater treatment project

On the afternoon of June 24, Mai Hung Dung, Member of provincial Party Standing Committee and Permanent Vice Chairman of provincial People's Committee, chaired an online meeting with Maija Seppala, Development Policy Counselor at the Finnish Embassy in Hanoi, to discuss the progress of the project preparations and the upcoming plans for the Ben Cat Drainage and Wastewater Treatment Project.

Reportedly, in March 2023, provincial People's Committee sent a document to the Finnish Ambassador to Vietnam proposing the Ben Cat Drainage and Wastewater Treatment Project under the Finnish Government's Public Investment Finance (PIF) program. Subsequently, on May 25, 2023, the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs approved the project application. The total estimated investment for the project is about 70 million euros, with nearly 30 million euros in official development assistance (ODA) from the PIF...

Previously, the budget for land clearance and resettlement for the project was estimated at about 22 million euros, with an additional 10 million euros projected for compensation and clearance in the 2021-2025 period. However, this is classified as a Group A project under the regulations, so compensation and clearance must be included in the project, encompassing ODA capital from the Finnish Government's PIF.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Dung stated that provincial People's Committee is directing the preparation of documents and procedures to complete the investment policy proposal for submission to relevant ministries, departments, and the Prime Minister. He also expressed his desire for the next meetings between the two sides to promptly grasp the progress of the project and resolve difficulties to soon implement it.

Reported by Minh Duy-Translated by Kim Tin