VietNamNet Bridge – The draft Land Law will undergo public comment during February and March before being submitted to the National Assembly for approval in May, according to a draft resolution discussed at yesterday's meeting of the National Assembly's Standing Committee.

Search-and-rescue teams conduct disaster drills in the central province of Thanh Hoa.

Deputies said that public feedback collection would bring into play the people's understanding; create public support and strengthen the awareness and responsibilities of each individual in relation to the land law.

According to the draft resolution on collecting public feedback on the revised land law, the information will be made public through Nhan Dan (The People) Newspaper, websites of the NA, Government, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the National Assembly Economic Committee in efforts to attract public opinion.

At the central level, feedback will be collected through conferences organised in regions and geographical areas. The Viet Nam Fatherland Front will co-ordinate with its members, the Viet Nam Farmers Association, plus the Viet Nam Chamber for Commerce and Industry to organise discussions, collect feedback and report back to the NA's Economic Committee and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

At the local level, feedback will be collected by the NA's deputy delegations, provincial People's Councils and People's Committees.

Discussing the natural disaster prevention and reduction bill, deputies have opposing opinions on regulations to establish funds for natural disaster prevention.

The bill has proposed setting up two funds: a natural disaster prevention fund and a fund for mobilising financial support from local and international individuals or organisations.

Most deputies said a fund to mobilise financial resources for natural disaster prevention was needed and one fund would suffice for the activity. However, they said the bill should clearly and transparently regulate financial sources for the fund, as well as mechanisms for fund support and management.

The NA's Social Affairs Committee Chairwoman Truong Thi Mai said it was necessary to mobilise more financial sources from society for the fund because natural disaster prevention could not rely on the State Budget.

Chairman of the NA's National Defence and Security Committee Nguyen Kim Khoa also backed Mai's opinion that the fund should mobilise financial sources from the whole of society.

Mai also suggested the bill should regulate the roles of the Red Cross Society and Fatherland Front forces in natural disaster prevention because the two organisations have played important roles and made effective contributions to natural disaster prevention in recent years.

Deputies focused discussion on financial mechanisms when reviewing the revised law on science and technology. Many deputies agreed to spend at least 2 per cent of the total State Budget yearly on science and technology and investment levels would be adjusted based on the development demands of each period.

Chairman of the NA's Finance and State Budget Committee Phung Quoc Hien said the two per cent of the total State Budget spending for provinces and cities from all corners of the country would be low for central or big provinces, but larger for small provinces. He stressed that some provinces would not have enough projects to allocate the whole investment.

Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Quan said though some provinces could not allocate all funds from the State Budget, such investment would ensure the Government's priority direction for science and technology development.

Deputies agreed the law should regulate the responsibilities of ministries and branches in managing and allocating State Budget investment for science and technology and apply flat rates for science and technology activities funded through the State Budget.

Source: VNS