Key and urgent projects set to top the agenda for public investment in 2026

On the morning of December 29, Nguyen Van Ut, Deputy Secretary of the Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Dong Nai People’s Committee, chaired a meeting on the allocation of the 2026 public investment plan. The meeting was also attended by Ho Van Ha, Provincial Party Committee member and Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee.

Nguyen Van Ut, Deputy Secretary of the Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Dong Nai People’s Committee, gives a directive at the meeting. Photo: Hoang Loc

Tran Anh Tu, Deputy Director of the Department of Finance, reported at the meeting that the 2026 public investment plan totals over VND 27 trillion. This amount includes more than VND 6 trillion from the centralized budget, over VND 4 trillion from the lottery fund, more than VND 15 trillion from land-use fees, nearly VND 1 trillion from local budget deficits, with the remainder coming from the central budget.

For the central budget, the Dong Nai People’s Committee allocated funds to three key projects: Component 1 of the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau Expressway Phase 1, the Nhon Trach inter-port road construction project (a carry-over project), and the Climate-resilient irrigation modernization Project in the former Binh Phuoc province.

For local budget funds, allocations assigned by the Dong Nai People’s Committee cover projects and works, including land survey and mapping, science, technology, and digital transformation expenses, socialization projects, and newly added projects. In terms of funding allocation, there are 364 ongoing projects, 32 projects in the design and site clearance phase, 35 new projects under construction, and 101 projects in the investment preparation stage.

Nguyen Van Ut, Deputy Secretary of the Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Dong Nai People’s Committee, outlines requirements for the Department of Finance and other provincial agencies regarding the 2026 public investment plan. Photo: Hoang Loc.

The Department of Finance also presented measures for implementing the 2026 public investment plan, with a focus on effectively executing Directive No. 09/CT-UBND dated December 12, 2025, regarding the deployment of public investment capital. Provincial departments, agencies, commune-level People’s Committees, and project owners are urged to accelerate capital disbursement and project implementation, especially for key national projects, expressways, major interregional works, and projects with wide-reaching impact. Officials are encouraged to uphold a spirit of initiative, creativity, self-reliance, and determination; avoid passivity, over-reliance, or excessive caution; and to support those who dare to think, act, and take responsibility for the common good.

Efforts must also be directed toward expediting site clearance and construction progress, resolving land and resource-related bottlenecks, and developing detailed disbursement schedules for each project, strictly aligned with monthly, quarterly, and weekly timelines. Advance payments, recovery of advances, project acceptance, and fund settlements must be carried out promptly and in accordance with regulations as work is completed. Compensation and resettlement efforts should be handled decisively, with compensation rates issued in a timely manner. Chairpersons of commune-level People’s Committees are expected to directly oversee the allocation of local capital plans to ensure resources are focused on priority projects, while enhancing oversight of state budget revenues and expenditures.

Concluding the meeting, Nguyen Van Ut, Chairman of the Dong Nai People’s Committee, said the province’s public investment disbursement in 2025 fell short of expectations. On the objective side, delays were caused by the merger of departments and the provincial reorganization, as well as the adoption of the two-tier local administration model. Changes in project owners and account holders required time for adjustments, slowing disbursement. On the subjective side, some units were slow in construction, site clearance lagged, task forces were not decisive in addressing delayed projects, investment preparation was insufficient, and coordination to resolve issues within individual project owners was ineffective.

The Bien Hoa-Vung Tau Expressway, a key public investment project in Dong Nai province, is approaching completion. Photo: Hoang Loc.

In 2026, the number of projects is relatively large, but funding is limited. The Department of Finance is reviewing the project portfolio to assess feasibility and urgency, making necessary adjustments to avoid spreading resources too thin and to ensure efficiency. Funding will be balanced and allocated appropriately across sectors, with priority given to key public investment projects identified in the resolution of the first Provincial Party Congress for the 2025–2030 term, as well as government-prioritized sectors, including healthcare facilities, schools, and administrative offices.

The Chairman of the People’s Committee emphasized that investment preparations should commence at the very beginning of the year. In the first quarter of 2026, project implementation is expected to follow the government’s “six clarities” framework.

By Hoang Loc – Translated by Tam Binh, Minho