With a view to well performing the work of flood and storm prevention and combat and natural calamity reduction in 2000, taking initiative in coping with floods, storms and natural calamities that may occur, the Prime Minister instructs the ministries, the ministerial-level agencies, the agencies attached to the Government and the People�s Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities to carry out well the following tasks:

- Strengthening the steering boards for flood and storm prevention and combat of all levels and branches to make them neat and powerful. In provinces and cities where flood, storms and other natural calamities frequently occur in a complicated manner, the steering committees must be headed by the presidents of their provincial/municipal People�s Committees.

- Continuing to thoroughly comprehend the guiding principle of " on-the-spot command; on-the-spot forces; on-the-spot supplies and means; and on-the-spot logistics", and organizing and directing the implementation thereof.

The Prime Minister clearly defines the responsibilities of the ministries, central-level branches, People�s Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities for the flood and storm prevention and combat and natural calamity reduction in 2000.- (Summary)