Clean water production and supply and hydropower companies would be subject to higher forest environmental service charge rates.
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| Newly planted submerged forests in Xuan Thuy national park (Giao Thuy district, Nam Dinh province) __Photo: Lam Khanh/VNA |
That is proposed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) in a draft decree revising Government Decree No. 99/2010/ND-CP of September 24, 2010, on policies on payment of forest environment service charges.
The ministry said that the current charge rates were not practical and could neither generate income nor encourage people to involve in the forest protection.
Under the draft, the service charge rate applicable to hydropower plants would rise to VND 36 per kWh from current VND 20 per kWh. Meanwhile, clean water producers would also have to pay VND 52 per m3, instead of VND 40 per m3. The charge amount payable by a hydropower or water company would be calculated based on the electricity or water output stated in the contracts between the company and its customers.
In the last quarter every year, the MARD will review the charge rates and propose adjustments to the Prime Minister if the average electricity or water retail price increases or decreases by more than 20 percent.-
