Reporters at the HCM City Press Centre cover an online Government meeting on March 2. Vo Van Hoan, Vice Chairman of the city People’s Committee, said in the firsttwo months, on average the city collected 2.9 trillion VND each day, whichwas higher than the average daily revenue.
In January, the city collected 40 trillion VND, up 2.9 percentyear-on-year, he added.
To date it has collected 74,500 billion VND, accounting for more than 20 percentof the year’s target, up 10.5 percent year-on-year.
The Tax Department aims to collect at least 25 percent of the yearlybudget revenue target in the first quarter.
The city’s retail sales of goods and services increased by 4.7 percent, whileindustrial production went up 6 percent in the first two months.
The city’s exports reached 8 billion USD, a rise of 25 percent year-on-year(three major exports with increased revenues are fertilisers, plastic materialsand auto spare parts).
More than 3,800 enterprises resumed operation in the first two months (up 3 percentyear-on-year). Some 700 enterprises completed dissolution procedures in theperiod (down 14.5 percent year-on-year).
However, the service sector, especially tourism and accommodations, whichaccounts for more than 60 percent of the city’s total budget revenue, hasbeen hit hardest.
Tourism revenues decreased by 70 percent with accommodation servicesdropping by 14 percent. The outbreak has caused a significant decline ininternational visitors to the country, according to Hoan.
For pandemic prevention, the city has contained the infection hotspot at TanSon Nhat international airport with 36 cases recorded since the end of January.The city has gone 20 days without any locally transmitted infections, hesaid.
Some non-essential services have gradually reopened. Students returned toschool on March 1.
The city has ordered individuals and organisations to continue to strictlyimplement precautions against the virus. “The city is always ready forthe worst pandemic scenario,” he said.
Regarding tasks for 2021, the city will continue to complete itsdual goal of economic development and protection against thepandemic, according to Hoan.
It plans to develop more solutions to support enterprises andresidents affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as part of its effortto revive business activities.
The city will also promote domestic tourism and strengthen linkages withother provinces.
It will continue to promote e-commerce, online businesses, non-cashpayments for a digital economy, start-up creation and technological innovation,and commercialisation of research products./.
VNA
