VietNamNet Bridge – Hanoi spent VND265 billion (US$13.25 million) for the ten-day celebration of its 1,000th anniversary, VND85 billion ($4.47 million) less than the estimated amount, said Hanoi’s Vice Chairman Hoang Manh Hien on December 8.

Hien said that during the preparations for the ceremony, the city was determined to fight waste, save costs and avoid wrongdoing. The money was mainly spent on mass media programs and cultural events, the welcoming ceremony and gifts for guests.

Specifically, the city paid VND250 billion for mass media programs and cultural events, nearly VND1.4 billion less than the initial plan; VND7.6 billion for the welcoming ceremony, VND2.4 billion less than estimated; and VND8.2 billion for gifts, VND1 billion lower than plan.

Hien stated that spending for the 1000th anniversary was always supervised by an inspection team.

He also said that the city will make public a detailed report of expenditures for the anniversary and the final number may be lower than previously stated.

On December 7, deputies of the Hanoi People’s Council asked the Hanoi People’s Committee to make public the spending for the city’s 1000th anniversary. However, the report that Hien made on December 8 was not the entire itemization, only the expenditures within the 10-day celebration, which was specifically for mass media activities, gifts and cultural events, not the total investment in infrastructure projects to celebrate the anniversary.

At the year-end National Assembly session in November, Minister of Finance Vu Van Ninh said that the ministry spent more than VND200 billion ($20 million) from the state budget for Hanoi’s 1000th anniversary.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Tuan Anh also said that his ministry spent VND88 billion dong ($4.4 million) for festivals, including Hanoi’s 1000th anniversary.

PV