To unlock local potential and develop preset objectives, the information and communication sector of Ha Tinh province needs to specially focus on developing technical infrastructure, including telecommunications and information technology infrastructure, and enhancing the quality of telecommunication services. Vietnam Business Forum interviewed Mr Phan Tan Linh, Director of the Department of Information and Communications of Ha Tinh province, on this issue. Duy Binh reports.
How do you assess the development of information technology - communication infrastructure for the development of the business community in Ha Tinh province in recent years?
In recent years, Ha Tinh province has focused investment on applying and developing ICT in general and technical infrastructure in particular to meet sustainable socioeconomic development requirements towards industrialisation and modernisation. Specifically, the provincial government approved comprehensive telecom, post and IT development plans until 2020.
To date, the province has brought mobile communication coverage, optical cables and Internet connections to all communes. Two resettlement communes are installing fibre-optic cable systems. According to the results of assessment and ranking by the Ministry of Information and Communications, Ha Tinh province ranked sixth, third and third in IT technical infrastructure in the latest three years.
Besides, the synchronous application of administration, online operation systems and electronic portals of State agencies ensures sufficient, timely information and provision of administrative procedures via the internet environment. Ha Tinh province is one of the very first provinces and cities in the country to successfully deploy the electronic customs system and the VNACCS/VCIS automated clearance system. The systems are serving 97 percent of businesses and over 98 percent of customs procedures. More than 75 percent of Ha Tinh province-based companies registered to declare tax via the internet.
These initial results show the significant role and practical value of ICT infrastructure to social and economic development towards industrialisation, modernisation, and international integration, especially to the development of the local business community. It is really the "infrastructure of infrastructures" as former Trade Minister Truong Dinh Tuyen used to say.
As a lead agency in deploying ICT application contents in administrative agencies in the province, what are the major results of the Department of Information and Communications in this process in recent years?
Although Ha Tinh province’s economic potential is still very weak and investment for IT is limited, strategic vision and roadmap are very clear to IT application and development in Ha Tinh.
That strategic vision is reflected by the issue of legal documents and instructive documents to concretise and implement guidelines, policies and institutions of the Party and the State on IT in the province. Ha Tinh is the first province to institutionalise e-government model at the provincial level and gradually deploy it. The province also will soon have IT personnel, from the provincial to communal level, regularly trained and updated on new professional expertise and policies. The IT awareness of senior leaders at all levels and sectors has really improved as they clearly understand the role, significance and importance of IT in State management and provincial development. According to rankings by the Ministry of Information and Communications, Ha Tinh province ranked ninth, ninth and first in IT policy environment in the latest three years (2011, 2012 and 2013).
On that basis, Ha Tinh has accelerated IT application to State management, administration and administrative reform. From 2010 to now, the province has applied the electronic office model where leadership, receipt and sending of documents and provision of public services are done online. Besides, information systems and industry databases are constantly built and mined.
According to IT application rankings by the Ministry of Information and Communications, Ha Tinh province was rated twelfth, ninth and seventh in the latest three years. The public administration reform (PAR) index was ranked 10th out of 63 provinces and cities in the country in 2013 by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Particularly, on December 2, 2014, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Hong Linh was recently granted the ASEAN Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Chief Security Office (CSO) Awards 2014 - the honour of 20 CIOs and CSOs in ASEAN bloc.
The IT era or time is mentioned by many officials and professionals when they imply fundamental and comprehensive socioeconomic changes. As the lead official of IT industry in the province, what do you think about this message?
Resolution 36-NQ/TW of the Politburo on accelerated IT application and development to meet sustainable development and international integration requirements states, “IT is an effective tool to create a new development method and national defence in the new situation; and one of the important driving forces to develop knowledge economy and information society and enhance national competitiveness in the international integration process." This affirms the role, position and importance of IT in the new period. IT is not only a means and environment for learning, working or recreation, but also allows the formation of new development methods. IT is a motivation for the development of knowledge economy and new society - information society. In fact, we have already seen the presence of IT in all aspects of social life, seen fundamental changes in the way we communicate, work, study and research, or entertain.
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