According to the review and completion results of the medium-term public investment plan for the 2026-2030 period, the entire province expects to have 107 newly commenced projects. Among these, 63 projects have been assigned the task of preparing investment policy proposal reports, while the remaining 44 projects are being reviewed and evaluated to complete the necessary procedures. The large scale of the project portfolio, spanning multiple sectors, demonstrates the province’s massive demand for development investment, requiring meticulous preparation in terms of documentation, procedures, and the capacity to balance resources.

For the projects assigned to prepare investment policy proposal reports, many have completed the appraisal and approval steps, gradually perfecting legal dossiers to be ready for inclusion in the medium-term public investment plan. Out of the 63 assigned projects, 28 have received investment policy or investment decision approvals; seven have completed appraisal and been submitted to competent authorities for approval consideration; 24 have been submitted for appraisal and are in the completion process, leaving four projects yet to be submitted for appraisal.

The projects being prepared for investment utilize diverse capital sources, including the local budget, central budget, and foreign capital (ODA). Among these, the local budget accounts for a large proportion with 39 projects, demonstrating the province’s proactive role in allocating investment resources.

However, investment preparation still faces certain limitations. The progress of preparing investment policy proposal reports by some units is slower than required. The quality of several dossiers has not fully met standards, necessitating multiple revisions and supplements, which prolongs the appraisal time. The determination of investment necessity, objectives, scale, and effectiveness for some projects remains unclear and lacks convincing grounds. Instances of overlapping or duplicative project proposals, or those failing to closely align with development plans and resource balancing capabilities, still occur.

To overcome these issues, the provincial People’s Council established a field survey delegation for projects slated for medium-term public investment in several communes and units. Notably, on April 21, the Economic and Budgetary Committee conducted field surveys of projects such as the embankment protecting the riverside residential area and technical infrastructure works in Xa Dung commune, the road route from Xa Dung commune to Tìa Dình commune, and the construction of boarding facilities for students and auxiliary items at Điện Biên College, with an estimated total investment of VND 29 billion.

Lỳ Thị Phương Diện, Head of the Economic and Budgetary Committee under the provincial People’s Council, stated that the survey aims to grasp the proposed portfolio and allocation plan for the medium-term public investment of local budget capital for the 2026-2030 period. It also assesses the alignment with the province’s planning and socio-economic development orientations, determining the necessity, urgency, feasibility, and capital balancing capacity of each project. The survey results serve as a basis for verification before submission to the provincial People’s Council for consideration and decision regarding the 2026-2030 medium-term public investment plan.

For projects not yet assigned the task of preparing investment policy proposal reports, initial survey and evaluation work has been implemented. Among the 44 projects, 17 have been identified as highly urgent, six as not urgent, and six are recommended for investment discontinuation, leaving 15 projects yet to be evaluated and reported by the respective units. This outcome is a vital basis for the province to review and select an appropriate project portfolio, ensuring that resources are concentrated on truly necessary works with significant spillover effects.

According to the Department of Finance, to enhance the efficiency of investment preparation, assigned agencies and units must urgently prepare investment policy proposal dossiers and submit them for appraisal and approval for projects not yet submitted, except for ODA projects which follow specific regulations. For projects already submitted for appraisal, proposing units should proactively coordinate with the Department of Finance to quickly complete the appraisal process. For fully appraised projects, it is recommended that the provincial People’s Committee review and promptly approve the investment policy to ensure compliance with the timeline stipulated by the Law on Public Investment.

Regarding projects not yet assigned to prepare investment policy proposal reports, units are requested to urgently survey and evaluate the investment necessity of the 15 remaining projects to provide a basis for reporting to the provincial People’s Committee. The investment demand from these units is enormous, while the projected capacity to balance capital sources is limited. Therefore, the provincial People’s Committee will consider directing the assignment of preparing investment policy proposal reports for projects only after they have been surveyed and evaluated as highly necessary by the units. Projects deemed not urgent will be considered for investment procedures at a later stage if resources and capital balancing capacities permit.

Amidst numerous resource difficulties and challenges, selecting the right projects and preparing thoroughly for investment will be the decisive factors for the success of the 2026-2030 medium-term public investment plan. With the drastic direction of the provincial People’s Committee and the synchronized involvement of departments, sectors, and localities, the preparation for newly commenced investment projects is expected to yield positive results, creating a driving force for the development of Điện Biên.