Committee asks for urgent solutions to speed up administrative reform

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

The Government's Steering Committee for Administrative Reform has requested ministries, sectors, and localities to proactively and promptly supervise the system of legal normative documents, identify any issues and obstacles, and assign relevant agencies to resolve them within specific deadlines.

Under Announcement No. 304/VPCP-TB on the conclusion of the steering committee at its 5th session held on July 19, 2023, ministries, sectors and localities were demanded to review administrative procedures at all levels, focusing on addressing current challenges in terms of housing, credit access, electricity, taxation, land, customs, and transport.

They will also supervise procedures related to the three growth drivers of consumption, investment, and exports.

Administrative procedure reform must be prioritised and targeted, aiming for providing swift, comprehensive, and citizen- and business-centered services, the document said.

At the 5th session of the Government's Steering Committee for Administrative Reform

It also underlined the necessity for ministries, sectors and localities to review their contingents of officials and civil servants.

Regarding the tasks and solutions in the coming time, the steering committee demanded its members and leaders at all levels consider administrative reform as a top priority and a criterion for evaluating and rating the annual performance of officials and civil servants.

The conclusion stressed that it is necessary to take specific and practical measures towards creating breakthroughs in improving the effectiveness of administrative reform and the implementation of the tasks outlined in the administrative reform plan in 2023.

Ministries, departments, and local authorities will continue to innovate their methods and approaches to management and work; increase dialogues with business associations and citizens; and exert efforts to resolve difficulties and obstacles facing citizens and businesses.

They were requested to urgently and effectively implement the Prime Minister's directives on administrative procedure reform, improving the business investment environment, and streamlining administrative procedures for issuing judicial record certificates.

They will coordinate with the Government Office to maintain and upgrade the public administrative service centres at all levels; review and refine legal regulations to effectively implement the revised Law on Electronic Transactions, and the project on developing a national population database and electronic authentication and identification (Project 06).

The Ministry of Home Affairs is responsible for proposing new, innovative, and breakthrough measures to comprehensively and coherently organise the implementation of the state administrative reform programme in the 2021-2030 period.

The Government Office will coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to ensure the efficient operations of the National Public Service Portal, and the business information portal, providing online public services to citizens and businesses, and making it easier for enterprises to look up business-related regulations.

The Ministry of Justice will rigorously assess administrative procedures in projects and draft legal normative documents. There will be a focus on providing guidance to ministries, sectors and local authorities regarding the review and inspection of legal normative documents.

The Ministry of Finance will collaborate with other ministries and sectors to enhance the mechanisms, policies, and laws that promote the autonomy of state-owned public service units and the socialisation of public services in sectors where conditions allow.

The State Bank of Vietnam will implement solutions to resolve difficulties and obstacles within its jurisdiction and propose to the authorised agencies for resolution in terms of legal and administrative procedures related to accessing credit capital, reducing interest rates, and prioritising credit packages to support production and business activities.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade will urgently provide guidances on issues related to electricity production, consumption, and trading; encourage and facilitate the transition towards green, clean, and sustainable energy.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will focus on measures to address difficulties and obstacles facing citizens and businesses concerning land, the environment, and resources.

The Government Inspectorate will continue to implement its 2023 inspection plan and conduct unexpected inspections, focusing on public service activities and administrative reform in state agencies./.