PM calls for sustained efforts to deal with public debt Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has asked cabinet members to clarify issues related to public and bad debts, the structure of budget revenue and spending and control measures to reduce non-performing loans to only 3%. The Government leader made the request at a regular cabinet meeting in Hanoi on October 29, reviewing the ten-month socio-economic situation and scrutinizing government resolutions. According to a report from the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), the national economy shows signs of recovery in major fields, posting a higher growth rate than the corresponding period from two years earlier. Industrial and agricultural production enjoyed a trade surplus as a result of higher export growth, while the tourism sector benefited from the growing number of international arrivals. The reviewed period also saw the curbed inflation, the lowest increase in the consumer price index (CPI) in 11 years, the stable interest rate and foreign exchange market, and positive changes in foreign direct investment (FDI) and the effective disbursement of official development assistance (ODA), and preferential loans.  The report also noted remarkable progress in social security, political security, social order and traffic safety. Besides these achievements, it also revealed limitations in the national economy including difficulties in production and business operations, a high number of suspended businesses, low credit growth and total retail sales and complicated forest fires.  Regarding public debts, PM Dung suggested cabinet members should clarify the two key issues: the effective use of loans and repayment capability coupled with realizing public debt control targets in the years to come. Concerning the settlement of bad debts, PM Dung said since early this year, the government has taken drastic measures to restructure the banking system along with resolving bad debt-related issues. He requested cabinet members to clarify criteria for calculating bad debts, thereby devising solutions and a road map for the settlement. During the meeting, cabinet members also discussed draft decrees on support policies for ethnic minority people and public career services, a draft resolution on tourism, and a report on the local administration model project. VOV