Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on Wednesday called ministries, government departments and sector heads to immediately deploy economic stimulus policies without delay, the Vietnam News Agency reported on Thursday.

Prime Minister made this request during a meeting here to discuss measures to stimulate investment and exports and formulate policies to give increased support to the unemployed.

Dung entrusted the ministries of Finance, Industry and Trade, and Agriculture and Rural Development to review material purchasing policies applied to local enterprises in order to maintain production and ensure continued employment for their workers.

The State Bank of Vietnam should coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies to entitle more people to preferential loan interest rates and guarantee loans for local small- and medium-sized enterprises, particularly household producers and craft villages, to help them maintain production levels, said Dung.

Dung agreed to increase financial support for the country's export markets, particularly garment, footwear and seafood exporters.

Dung suggested that ministries and agencies implement policies to extend soft loans to firms to cover the payment of salaries and unemployment insurance, while providing the unemployed with vocational training and opportunities to work abroad.

(Xinhua News Agency February 19, 2009)