FILE PHOTO: Shops selling rice, nuts and cereal inside the Rong market in Ninh Binh, Vietnam, on Sunday, June 12, 2022. Vietnam PM Pham Minh Chinh has called FOR comprehensive measures to ensure that citizens – especially the poor, vulnerable groups and those in disaster-affected areas – do not face hunger or shortages of essential goods during Tet. - Bloomberg
HANOI: Ahead of the Lunar New Year (Tet) of the Horse 2026, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has directed ministries and localities to ensure social welfare, market stability, price control, public order and safety, particularly in areas severely affected by natural disasters last year.
The directive was issued amid continued complex fluctuations in the global economy, heightened strategic competition and prolonged military conflicts in certain regions.
Domestically, the second half of last year saw successive waves of natural disasters, with widespread flooding exceeding historical levels, causing serious damage to people's lives and production and business activities.
In light of this reality, PM Chinh has called on all agencies and sectors to implement comprehensive measures to ensure that citizens, especially the poor, vulnerable groups and those in disaster-affected areas, do not face hunger or shortages of essential goods during Tet.
One of the key tasks emphasised by the PM is the timely release of national reserve goods. The Ministry of Finance has been tasked with leading, in coordination with ministries, sectors and localities, to distribute these goods to the correct recipients and areas, prioritising regions damaged by natural disasters, so that people can celebrate Tet in warmth and safety.
Alongside this, the Ministry of Finance will closely monitor market price developments, strictly handle violations of price laws and strengthen anti-smuggling efforts through customs operations.
To support policy beneficiaries of social welfare, PM Chinh has directed the Vietnam Social Security to make full and timely payments of social insurance, unemployment insurance and health insurance benefits; to combine payments for two months of pensions and social insurance allowances (February and March this year) in the February payout period, facilitating convenience for citizens during Tet.
Regarding the supply of essential goods, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has been tasked with leading efforts to closely monitor market supply and demand, directing the preparation of adequate stockpiles, especially for high-demand items at year-end and Tet.
Production and trading enterprises are required to proactively develop plans for continuous production, stockpiling and distribution, avoiding shortages, supply disruptions, or unjustified price increases.
Market stabilisation programmes, supply-demand linkages, trade promotion, and bringing Vietnamese goods to rural areas, industrial zones, remote and deep-lying regions will continue to be vigorously implemented.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade will also closely coordinate with local people's committees to direct market management forces in launching campaigns against smuggling, commercial fraud, and counterfeit goods before, during, and after Tet.
The focus will be on checking origins, quality of goods, e-commerce activities, price labelling and compliance and preventing speculation and hoarding.
At the same time, the ministry is asked to direct petrol and oil enterprises to ensure supply for production, business and consumption during Tet; and direct the Electricity of Vietnam to operate the power system safely and stably.
In agriculture, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has been tasked with ensuring a balance of food and foodstuff supply before, during, and after Tet; strengthening management of food quality and safety, drinking water sources and the environment.
The ministry will proactively forecast and warn of winter-spring disasters such as severe cold spells, frost, sleet, drought and saltwater intrusion; inspect the safety of irrigation works, reservoirs, and dykes as well as water sources for production and daily life.
Efforts to protect forests, prevent and combat forest fires and control illegal wildlife trade will be tightened.
In healthcare, the PM has required the Ministry of Health to proactively prevent and control winter-spring epidemics; organise all-day on-duty shifts, prepare sufficient personnel, medicines, medical supplies and plans for emergency response to traffic accidents, fires and explosions, and food poisoning.
Controls on fake and substandard medicines and drug price violations will be strengthened, with severe handling of breaches.
In transport, the Ministry of Construction has been tasked with intensifying regulation and management of transport operations during Tet to meet people's travel needs, preventing shortages of vehicles or unlawful fare increases.
Coordinated efforts will include vehicle technical safety inspections, reducing accidents and congestion, repairing damaged infrastructure and addressing accident blackspots.
The Ministry of Public Security will lead efforts to ensure security, order, and social safety; absolutely protect the safety of Party and State leaders' activities and political, cultural, social events and early-year festivals.
Functional forces will launch campaigns to suppress crime, combat criminal offences, drugs, smuggling, commercial fraud and counterfeits; prevent illegal fireworks and strengthen fire prevention, firefighting, search and rescue.
The Ministry of National Defence will strictly maintain combat readiness, firmly protect independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity; coordinate patrols and border controls to prevent illegal entry-exit, smuggling and cross-border crime.
Military forces will participate in caring for people's livelihoods, especially in remote areas, border regions, islands and disaster-affected zones.
PM Chinh has also required localities to closely monitor price developments, fully pay salaries and bonuses to workers; intensify food safety inspections, environmental sanitation, and epidemic prevention.
The directive emphasises the synchronous implementation of tasks before, during and after Tet to ensure stable livelihoods for the people, social safety, smooth markets, thereby creating a favourable foundation for achieving socio-economic development goals from the early months of 2026. — Vietnam News
