Lam Dong Tightens Appraisal of Off-Budget Investment Projects
Ho Van Muoi, Chairman of the Lam Dong Provincial People’s Committee, has called for improvements to the appraisal process to enhance the quality of assessments and recommendations on the approval and adjustment of investment policy decisions for off-budget projects, while facilitating investment and business activities in the province.
Shortcomings in Project Appraisal Need to Be Addressed in Lam Dong
Investment attraction in Lam Dong has shown positive developments in recent years, but has yet to match the province’s potential and advantages. One of the identified reasons is the limited quality of project appraisals. Appraisal documents have often been too general, failed to clearly define responsibilities and authorities, and fallen short of required deadlines.
Coordination and consultation among departments, agencies and local authorities have also at times been insufficient and untimely. This has resulted in application dossiers being returned, delaying investment attraction and efforts to resolve difficulties for businesses.
In response, Ho Van Muoi, Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Lam Dong Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, has recently instructed relevant agencies to promptly address these shortcomings. The goal is to improve appraisal quality and the quality of recommendations submitted for the appraisal, approval and adjustment of investment policy decisions for off-budget projects.
Standardizing Procedures and Strengthening Coordination
The Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee has instructed the Director of the Department of Finance, the agency in charge, to urgently review the procedures for appraising and submitting proposals for approval or adjustment of investment policy decisions for off-budget projects. The process must be rigorous, consistent, aligned with policy directions and completed on schedule.
The department is also required to develop standardized forms for seeking appraisal opinions from relevant departments, agencies and local authorities for each specific sector, field and project. These forms will serve as the basis for collecting opinions in accordance with regulations.
For projects requiring on-site inspections or surveys, a joint inspection team must be established with the participation of all relevant parties. This is intended to prevent multiple departments from organizing separate inspection teams for the same project.
The Department of Finance must prepare appraisal reports covering all requirements stipulated in the 2025 Investment Law, Decree No. 96/2026/ND-CP detailing and guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Investment Law, and other relevant legal regulations. For projects requiring consultation with the Standing Board of the Provincial Party Committee, the Standing Board of the Provincial Party Committee or the Provincial Party Committee Executive Committee, the dossiers must contain all required documents.
Prioritizing Key Projects and Improving the Investment Climate
The Department of Finance is also tasked with reviewing and establishing a database to monitor the progress and outcomes of off-budget investment projects. Based on this database, priority will be given to projects with significant impacts on the province’s socio-economic development.
Difficulties and obstacles arising during investment attraction must be addressed promptly. The province also aims to substantially improve its investment climate and the quality of investment promotion activities. Priority will be given to projects supporting key economic sectors, making use of the province’s strengths, and attracting major corporations and businesses.
Heads of provincial departments and agencies, as well as Chairpersons of People’s Committees of communes, wards and special zones, are required to strengthen coordination and provide timely opinions on project appraisal dossiers.
Written responses must be submitted within the prescribed deadlines and clearly state each agency’s position. General, evasive or irresponsible responses that affect processing schedules must be avoided. If a dossier submitted for appraisal opinions fails to meet regulatory requirements, the responding agency must clearly explain the reasons and propose solutions.
If a department, agency or local authority fails to respond or submits a response after the deadline, it will be deemed to have agreed with the proposal of the agency seeking its opinion. The relevant unit will also be held accountable under the law and before the Provincial People’s Committee and its Chairman.
During the appraisal consultation process, agencies must assign personnel to monitor and coordinate the work, consolidate opinions and complete appraisal reports, ensuring quality and meeting requirements.
The implementation process must emphasize the accountability of agency heads, as well as that of individual officials and civil servants directly involved in advising on and handling project dossiers. Administrative discipline and order must be strictly maintained in accordance with the principle of the “6 clear requirements.”
From the beginning of 2026 to date, Lam Dong has attracted 70 investment projects with total registered capital exceeding VND 176 trillion, up by 18 projects compared with the same period in 2025.
Most of these projects are in the mineral resources and energy sectors. They are expected to become important drivers of Lam Dong’s socio-economic development in 2026 and the years ahead.