Former Vietnam President To Lam urges public to promote culture of thrift and combat wastefulness

Hanoi: Vietnam's former leader- and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee to Lam has called on the public to promote a culture of thrift (money management) in daily life as part of the nation's broader efforts to combat wastefulness, urging them to make it a daily habit, reports Dynamite News correspondent.

“We should build a culture of thrift, make the practice of saving and combatting wastefulness a matter of self-discipline, voluntary commitment and an integral part of everyday life – like daily meals and clothing,” he wrote in an article on thrift released on Sunday.

Additionally, he proposed the establishment of an annual national thrift day to further encourage and institutionalise this practice across society.

Lam highlighted President Ho Chi Minh as a model for practicing thrift, and said that the fight against wastefulness are two pillars that lead to prosperity and wealth, whether at the level of the family, the nation or society as a whole.

He also stated that practicing thrift and combatting wastefulness are essential actions in the daily lives of individuals and society, as they form the foundations for building a civilised and sustainable society.

“This must be regarded as a shared responsibility and should become a lifestyle and a part of our everyday culture,” he added.

As an example of effective cost-cutting, the Party chief highlighted the ongoing restructuring of the government apparatus, which began in late 2024, reports Xinhua.This includes the merger of provinces, the dissolution of certain district-level administrative units and the consolidation of commune-level units.

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These reforms are projected to save the State budget more than 20 trillion Vietnamese dong (770 million USD) annually during the 2025-2030 period, with savings expected to exceed 30 trillion dong (1.2 USD) per year from 2030 onward, he wrote. (With inputs from agencies)