Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) reports that the Lao government, after reporting on the implementation of the National Economic and Social Development Plan, the National Budget Plan, and the monetary plan related to the implementation of the two national agendas for the first six months of this year, as well as the implementation of the plan for the last six months of the year, will proceed smoothly until the 7th session of the 9th National Assembly in 2024. Many tasks are progressing smoothly. However, some tasks still need to be continued and resolved as soon as possible.
Mr. Somchit Hablakon, a member of parliament from the 2nd constituency of Phongsaly Province, said in an interview: "Overall, over the past six months, the government has focused on national economic and social development, improving people's living conditions and fulfilling the people's aspirations, thus taking development to a new level. However, I hope the government can help address some aspects related to people's livelihoods, especially by promoting more domestic production through various measures, such as the five measures for production substitution and export substitution for imports."
"Focus on factors of production, especially fertilizers, food crops, seeds, and fiscal policies and taxes; reduce capital expenditures to enable businesses to produce and participate in market competition; restrict and increase import taxes on luxury goods such as alcohol and tobacco, as these are unnecessary." The government will inspect, restrict, and resolve tax exemption issues for all business entities that cause losses to national interests; incorporate mineral mining management into laws and regulations; restrict the approval of new projects; and integrate land management into the regulatory system.
He also stated that the government must find ways to address the fiscal deficit and increase land revenue collection. Simultaneously, it will review the land tax collection situation, noting that taxes in some areas are currently too high, leaving landowners unable to pay. Furthermore, it will focus on foreign currency management, incorporating foreign currency into the banking system through various measures to completely eliminate off-system financial activities, and continuing to correct inflation through quantitative management. The government will manage the exchange rate between banks and external exchange bureaus at an appropriate ratio to prevent a decline.
Human resource development must improve the quality of teaching and learning, address issues related to learning, teaching, and research, create new factors to motivate student learning, improve the compactness and quality of new teaching curricula, continue to address teacher subsidies, ensure that impoverished families can afford to send their children to school, and promote greater social participation. The health department should continue to address issues related to social security and medical insurance funds, resolve drug shortages in township hospitals, district hospitals, and within the province, improve medical services according to the "5 Goods and 1 Principle" (good in five aspects and good in one aspect), ensure patient satisfaction based on doctors' medical ethics and conduct, provide medical equipment, and address the issue of providing volunteer doctors with stipends similar to those for teachers. Furthermore, the minimum wage should be adjusted from 1.6 million kip to a level that can meet current economic growth and inflation.
