Progress in Administrative Reform

11:37:17 AM | 8/18/2022

Overcoming difficulties and challenges, the Party, people and army of An Giang province have upheld the tradition of solidarity, dynamism and creativity to obtain many important achievements. In particular, the administrative reform has made much progress and supported economic, political, cultural and social development of the province.

Accordingly, institutional reform has been increasingly complete with legal documents being reviewed and checked to ensure uniformity, consistency, feasibility, timeliness and efficiency, helping improve law enforcement.

Reforming administrative procedures has been one of the breakthrough stages and key programs of the province since 2010. Administrative procedures are increasingly simplified to reduce time and compliance costs, received and handled in a single-window mechanism in the electronic environment. The rate of administrative procedures processed in time and ahead of schedule at all three levels (province, district and commune) is always high. In 2021, it exceeded 98.62%.

In the past time, the province has rearranged, established, merged, and dissolved many provincial and district administrative agencies, thus reducing 123 public non-business agencies as compared to 2015 (data as of December 31, 2021) or 12.42%. Besides, to streamline the payroll, in 2015 - 2021, administrative staff decreased by 453, or 10.37% and non-business administrative employees were slashed by 5,105 or 11.22%. Needless to say, the organizational apparatus and public non-business agencies are increasingly streamlined, effective and efficient under the direction of the central government.

The quality of public employees has been increasingly enhanced thanks to policies on recruitment, talent attraction and appointment. In addition, strong education and training innovation, personnel quality improvement and social labor qualifications are focused on. The human resource development program for key economic sectors is launched to meet social development needs.

An Giang province has adopted the financial autonomy mechanism for government agencies and public non-business agencies according to the Government's regulations. As a result, there is a positive change in the financial management mechanism. They are more active in using assigned payrolls and autonomous funds and managing public assets for the right purpose of saving and using funds efficiently. Incomes of public employees have been gradually improved.

Administrative modernization has been a focus of the Provincial People's Committee, powered by information technology application projects in 2011 - 2020. Outstanding results include launching the Electronic An Giang Project; establishing the Public Service Portal and the Electronic Single-window Information System; investing in information technology infrastructure and internet network; deploying the province's one-stop software system, connecting specialized databases; connecting banks to pay fees and charges via online public services; and launching document management and administration software system in the network environment. Thus, this has helped build an e-government, enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of administration, and improve the quality of public services for better service for people and businesses.

In executing the Resolution of the 10th An Giang Provincial Party Congress (the 2015-2020 term), eight out of 15 targets achieved and exceeded their goals and five targets completed 80%. The economy grows every year with local resources. GRDP growth was 5.25% in 2015 - 2020 (compared with 5.07% in 2010 - 2015). The economic scale keeps being expanded quickly. In 2020, it reached VND89,362 billion. People's living standards are constantly picked up. GRDP per capita in 2020 was over VND46.8 million (an increase of VND16 million compared to 2015). Defense and security are maintained. Party building and political system building is strengthened. The organizational structure has been improved and streamlined to work more effectively. Performance indicators of the province are quite good. The Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) continuously climbed from No. 38 in 2016 to No. 17 out of 63 provinces and cities nationwide in 2021 and No. 4 out of 13 provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta.

With many positive solutions on administrative procedure reform along with drastic and responsible participation of all levels and sectors, An Giang province made a better investment environment, enhance its prestige; and built up a friendly and dynamic image. As a result, many big investors have come to An Giang province and many start-ups have chosen the province to launch their business.

Currently, the Department of Home Affairs has worked with relevant bodies to advise the Provincial People's Committee to introduce an administrative reform program for the 2021 - 2030 period, aiming to raise the effect of administrative reform and enhance local competitiveness. This will help boost local socioeconomic development and improve the leadership of the Party and administration of the government; uphold democracy and discipline; and strongly capitalize on local comparative advantages in regional linkage and international integration. The province will harmoniously develop economy, culture and society; protect the environment and raise people's life quality; maintain national defense and security. By 2025, An Giang's economy will be in the top group of the Mekong Delta region and reach the national average. By 2030, it will surpass the national median.

Source: Vietnam Business Forum