Lam Dong accelerates disbursement of science and technology investment funds

On October 14, Ho Van Muoi, Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee, chaired a meeting with leaders of the Department of Science and Technology to review its performance during the first 9 months of 2026 and discuss key tasks for the final 3 months of the year.

Nguyen Ngoc Phuc, Member of the Provincial Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, co-chaired the meeting. The department's leadership and heads and deputy heads of its specialized divisions also attended.

Progress in science and technology development

Reporting at the meeting, the Department of Science and Technology said it had closely followed the directives of the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee in implementing its responsibilities in support of local socio-economic development during the first nine months of 2026.

The department has worked to finalize policy mechanisms and effectively manage scientific research and technology development tasks. It has also implemented planned activities in intellectual property, standards, metrology, quality management and radiation safety.

Efforts have been made to connect technology supply and demand, support innovation, develop the startup ecosystem and advance digital transformation. Digital infrastructure and shared platforms have continued to operate stably.

The department has also paid close attention to telecommunications infrastructure, digital data, workforce training and the implementation of information technology projects.

However, several tasks remain underway. The proposal for a high-tech park is still being finalized, while the project to build a shared geospatial database system has reached only approximately 57.1% completion.

The development of the science and technology market remains limited. Public investment disbursement for projects managed by the department is still low, at just over 24%.

At the meeting, specialized divisions reported difficulties and obstacles related to human resources for task implementation. The department also explained why several targets had not been achieved, including public investment disbursement and the development of the database system.

The department proposed that the provincial government consider reducing funding for scientific and technological research. It also proposed lowering the targets for the number of science and technology enterprises and innovative startups under the 2026 implementation plan for Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW.

Removing bottlenecks and improving investment efficiency in Lam Dong

At the meeting, Nguyen Ngoc Phuc, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, asked the department to coordinate with relevant agencies to promptly address mobile signal dead zones along national highways and in remote and isolated residential areas.

The department was also urged to strengthen cooperation with technology research institutions to develop new scientific products and bring them to market. It should proactively review and flexibly allocate funding for science and technology investment activities.

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The Department of Science and Technology must proactively advise provincial leaders and propose investment in technology applications. Lam Dong has a significant need for such investment in agriculture, disaster early warning, environmental treatment and ocean waste management, among other areas.

Nguyen Ngoc Phuc, Vice Chairman of the Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee

Accelerating public investment disbursement

Assigning tasks to the department for the remaining months of 2026, Chairman Ho Van Muoi stressed that its immediate priority must be to address existing shortcomings, particularly the slow disbursement of public investment funds for projects under its management.

If projects fail to meet their disbursement targets by the end of 2026, the department's leadership and specialized divisions will be held accountable to provincial leaders.

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The Department of Science and Technology must regularly and continuously monitor public investment performance. Any obstacles must be reported to provincial leaders immediately. Everyone must take greater responsibility for this task.

Ho Van Muoi, Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee

Ho Van Muoi also instructed the department to urgently review all documents issued by central authorities, the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee. Based on this review, the department must resolve outstanding matters and ensure that no documents remain unaddressed.

As the province's leading agency for science and technology, innovation and creativity, the department must proactively advise, monitor and supervise science and technology activities across departments and sectors to ensure that performance is properly assessed.

Whenever an agency needs to apply science and technology, the Department of Science and Technology must proactively identify its needs, estimate the required funding and advise the provincial government on allocating investment resources accordingly.

The head of the provincial administration emphasized that the remaining time in 2026 was now being counted in hours. The department must establish a clear roadmap and work on Saturdays and Sundays if necessary to complete its assigned tasks.

Regarding tasks for 2027, Chairman Ho Van Muoi stressed that the department must begin developing an implementation roadmap immediately. It should also study the experience of other provinces and cities in attracting businesses to invest in high-tech agricultural zones, thereby unlocking Lam Dong's potential and comparative advantages.