The National Assembly (NA) on Friday discussed the draft resolution on piloting an auction for prestigious vehicle number plates.

Minister of Public Security Tô Lâm said the auction aimed to meet the personal desires of vehicle buyers, improve management of means of transport, increase collection for the State budget and create transparency in number plate issuance.

The draft resolution proposed piloting the auction in three years on unregistered number plates.

The Ministry of Public Security plans to issue new plates with white backgrounds, black letters, and numbers for cars of businesses, organisations and individuals. The information will be published 30 days before the auction on the National Property Auction Portal, portals of the Ministry of Public Security, the Traffic Police Department, websites of asset auction organisations and on mass media.

Businesses, organisations and individuals are allowed to join the auction which will be managed by all central-level localities. Plates that are unsold will be available for registration.

Sold plates through auctions are not allowed to be given away or transferred. The winners cannot register for another car.

The auction starting prices are different among localities, starting at VNĐ40 million in Hà Nội and HCM City and VNĐ20 million for other provinces and cities, although these are just starting prices.

During the auction, the competition among auction participants will determine the winning price, according to Minister Lâm.

The NA Committee of National Defence and Security has given green light on the three-year span of the pilot auction.

Some deputies proposed expanding the auction on number plates of passenger cars and motorcycles. However, the committee agreed to auction plates with white backgrounds and black letters only. The auction will be piloted online, said the committee’s chairman Lê Tấn Tới.

Special mechanisms for HCM City

Meanwhile, discussing special policies for development in HCM City, the NA’s Committee on Finance and Budget said it was necessary to continue the mechanisms until 2023.

Resolution 54/2017/QH14 on special mechanisms and policies for development was applied in 2017 giving HCM City specific mechanisms and policies for growth.

The city is allowed to make decisions on investment policies for a number of projects using the city’s budget in accordance with the Law on Public Investment.

Delivering a report on the results of piloting special mechanisms and policies for development in HCM City over the past five years, finance minister Hồ Đức Phớc said the city had reaped positive results.

Except for the period affected by COVID-19, the city’s economic growth remained high at an average annual rate of 7.72 per cent in the 2016-19 period.

These were foundations that HCM City and the Government proposed NA approve continuing the mechanisms.

Also on Friday morning, the NA listened to a report of the Ministry of Home Affairs on a draft resolution on the statute of limitations for disciplines against officials, public and civil servants. — VNS