Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung hailed ministries, branches and
localities for their efforts to ensure a happy and safe Lunar New Year
festival (Tet) for people of all strata, at a meeting on February 19.
At the same time, he asked them to pay more attention to traffic issue,
and reprimanded several localities where firecrackers were still set
off during the festival despite the ban.
The PM required
that ministries, agencies and localities should focus their efforts on
socio-economic development tasks and effectively implement the
government’s resolutions 01 and 02.
Concretely, they have
to take drastic measure to remove difficulties facing businesses,
control inflation, solve bad debts, keep the prices of essential goods
stable, and speed up agricultural production.
It was
reported at the meeting that in implementing the instruction of the
President and the Prime Minister, New Year gifts worth a total of nearly
394 billion VND had been handed over to nearly 1.9 million people who
have rendered services to the nation, while 24,000 tonnes of rice were
sent to 15 provinces to help needy people. Besides, local authorities
nationwide granted presents worth more than 807 billion VND to families,
which are beneficiaries of social welfare.
Party
committees and authorities at all levels have well organised cultural,
sports and tourist activities to help people have a joyful and healthy
New Year Festival.
Business and production activities were
maintained in accordance to schedules despite the long holiday. The
number of international tourists visiting Vietnam during the
festival rose by 10-15 percent against the same period last year.
However, in a number of localities, traffic jams still happened. In
many tourist sites and spring festivals, visitors still ignored
regulations on hygiene and safety.
During the 9-day
holiday, 681 criminal cases occurred nationwide, down by 4.76 percent
compared with the previous holiday; 314 people died and 387 other
injured in 373 traffic accidents.
Regarding Tet goods market,
ministries, branches and localities have taken initiative in ensuring
sufficient supply before, during and after Tet.-VNA