Application of Information Technology: Breakthrough in Governance of Dak Lak

Nowadays the application of information technology in the operation of the government's administrative agencies is essential, helping to improve the working styles of civil servants and public officials in transactions with the organisations and individuals, enhance administrative capacity, support administrative reform and ensure transparency in government operations. Recognising the importance of the application of the information technology, Dak Lak province pays close attention to investments in people, infrastructure, and information technology facilities, and considers the application of information technology an important resource in the process of socio-economic development of the province.

 

So far, in Dak Lak, all agencies have been equipped with intranet; 90 percent of the provincial and district officials are equipped with computers at work, and more than 6,880 accounts use the domain DakLak.gov.vn to share their documents in government agencies from the district to the provincial level; 2 software systems (eDocman and VNPT- OMS) are used to manage documents in provincial and district agencies; the electronic portal of the province (http://www.DakLak.gov.vn) provides information from people's committees of the districts, towns and cities, and notice about the direction and management activities of the provincial leaders; and about 50 percent of the provincial departments and agencies effectively use the document administration and operating system. Besides, there are a number of localities universalizing the email system to the communes and towns such as Krong Buk, Cu Kuin, Krong Pak, and Ea Kar. The format and information of the electronic portals of the towns, districts, and cities have been gradually strengthened and efficiently operated, providing online administrative services at level two and updating the information for direct administration of the people's committees of the provinces, towns, and cities. The intranet system has been developed in 6 units (Krong Buk, Krong Pak, Cu Kuin, Ea Sup, Buon Ho and the Department of Information and Communications) to facilitate the processes of receiving and processing records based on the one-door electronic portal in some areas such as issuing the business registration certificate, the construction licenses, as well as the land records and documents.

 

According to Mr Le Huu Thinh, Director of the Department of Information and Communications of Dak Lak, known as a professional authority with the role of advising the Provincial People's Committee on applying the information technology in the public administration reform, the Department of Information and Communications of Dak Lak has coordinated with some functional agencies to develop IT products with high efficiency and applicability. Specifically, in August, 2013, the Department of Information and Communications signed an agreement with VNPT Dak Lak to develop IT products for the purposes of promoting IT application development and serve public administration in the province, increasing the cooperation, sharing and transferring of IT products, building collaboration and developing the software, proposing IT application development solutions with the local brands to facilitate the public administration activities of the Dak Lak province such as the online data management system, the one-door electronic system, the electronic portal system, and the mutual use of IT software products. Besides, the department coordinates with communication agencies about joint activities and products, partnering with many organizations for training, consultancy and delivery of IT products to each other and to customers, training and developing human resources in the IT sector for the province, as well as developing the foundation for the IT and supporting the issues related to information safety and security.

In the future, the Department of Information and Communications will advise the Provincial People's Committee on speeding up the construction of the electronic portals of the remaining 5 districts, accomplishing the organisation and activities of the electronic portal of the province, promoting the provision of the public administration services, improving the online briefings to save time and money, increasing the rate of public officials and employees using the email system of the province, pooling financial sources for investment in the IT sector, and regularly fostering the capacity building and professional qualifications for staff in the IT divisions of departments and local authorities in the province.