Vietnam to Keep Power, Coal, Gas, Water Prices Unchanged by End-Q1 2011
Vietnam will not raise prices of electricity, coal, gas and clean water through end-March next year in order to help stabilize the domestic market, said the Ministry of Finance.
Prices of public services such as healthcare and education will be kept unchanged during the period, the ministry attributed.
Relevant agencies should use tools such as fee, tax, price stabilization funds for petroleum, staple and essential services to slacken price hikes in the next months, the ministry noted.
Earlier, the ministry requested keeping petroleum prices unchanged by end-March while cutting petroleum import taxes by 5% and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) import tariff to 2% to prevent price increases.
The World Bank earlier December forecast Vietnam’s consumer price index will rise 10.5% this year, much higher than the National Assembly’s target of 8%.
Vietnam, the world’s 13 populous nation with over 86 million, is forecast to achieve a GDP growth of 6.7% in 2010. (Vietnam & World Economy)
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