Provincial councils address contentious local issues

People’s councils in several provinces met this week to debate hot local topics following the recent conclusion of the National Assembly’s seventh ordinary session.
The People’s Council in Savannakhet province began its ordinary mid-year session on Monday and continued yesterday.
During the four-day session, council members debated measures on the management of charcoal production and authorisation of white charcoal businesses within the province which was introduced by the provincial Department of Industry and Commerce, and the management of pension payments and allowances for disabled people introduced by the provincial Department of Labour and Social Welfare.
Reports on enforcing court rulings and prosecutions were delivered during the session by the head of the provincial People’s Prosecutor and People’s Court.
Implementation of the provincial governor’s order on enhancing the management of various occupations and curbing the use of illegally modified vehicles was a hot topic for debate at the session of Savannakhet province People’s Council. Also covered were efforts to combat undesirable activities such as drug abuse and robberies, the illegal use of weapons, places of unlawful activity, anti-social conduct, human trafficking, and prostitution.
The council also considered approval of the provincial governor’s decision on the management and protection of public road reserves, transfers and new appointments in the provincial administration, and modification of revenue collection plans from budgetary units for the second half of this financial year.
The three-day session of the Huaphan province People’s Council, which will end today, approved new appointments in the provincial administration, as well as a draft decision of the provincial governor concerning wedding parties, receptions, and traditional festivals.
The council also debated a draft decision by the provincial governor on the promotion of ‘greenness, cleanliness, and charm’, and debated the prosecutor’s report on police investigations following Article 42 (second, fifth, and sixth points) in the Law on the People’s Prosecutor.
The three-day session of Oudomxay province People’s Council ended yesterday. Aside from socio-economic development and budget plans, council members considered the approval of new appointments in provincial administrative bodies, a draft decision by the provincial governor on the management of primary forests, and a draft decision on land price estimations.
The session of the People’s Council in Xekong province began on July 23. It approved a reshuffle and new appointments within the provincial administration, debated a report by the provincial Department of Public Works and Transport on town planning and development on the other side of Xekong River.
The council approved a report by the Department of Agriculture and Forestry on forest restoration and tree replanting on sites impacted by development projects, a report by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment on management, the issuing of land title deeds, and booklets documenting land plot history.
During the session, the council debated a report by the Department of Education and Sports on human resource development in the three priority sectors of education, health, and agriculture and forestry.

ByTimes Reporters
(Latest Update July 26, 2019)