Majority of local science and technology funds in Vietnam remained unutilized
The Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology announced that more than 60% of the 28 trillion VND budget allocated to local administrations has not yet been disbursed. The ministry called for urgent process improvements to overcome bureaucratic hurdles and ensure efficient use of the funds.
During an online conference held on October 27, 2026, the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology (MST) announced that the majority of the budget allocated for science, technology, and digital transformation projects at the local level has remained idle. According to data from October 26, 2026, only 10,789.36 billion VND of the total 28,032.79 billion VND allocated to local governments could be spent.
According to ministry data, the budget utilization rate of local administrations remained at 38.49%, while resources amounting to 17,243.43 billion VND have not yet been disbursed. Ministry officials stated that the reasons for these delays in payments must be promptly reviewed.
To accelerate the process, new legal regulations such as Decree No. 267/2025/ND-CP and the Law on Science, Technology and Innovation No. 93/2025/QH15 aim to remove bureaucratic obstacles. The ministry emphasized that unspent funds by the end of the year should be returned and redirected toward more efficient projects. Assessment: The ministry's statements reflect a strategic shift indicating that budget success should be based not only on spending rates, but also on project outcomes and efficiency.
Sources
- vietnam.vn · Link