Bac Giang makes breakthroughs in digital transformation.

Youth union members and young people in Bac Giang province guide visitors to scan QR codes when visiting the Xuong Giang Victory Monument. (Photo: DANH LAM)

In Nghia Hung commune, Lang Giang district, digital transformation has permeated every aspect of life. Mr. Nguyen Van Nam, a retired official in Giua village, shared: “My pension is now transferred directly to my account. I also manage my savings deposits on my phone, which is both convenient and secure. Information about all village and hamlet affairs is quickly communicated via Zalo, and feedback is also easy.”

Thanks to the community digital technology team's "door-to-door" approach, nearly 150 families in the village have become familiar with using smartphones for transactions, information retrieval, and administrative procedures.

At the Bac Giang Provincial Employment Service Center, Ms. Vu Thi Men (born in 1998, Dong Viet commune, Yen Dung district) found her dream job after a long time working far from home. Participating in an online job fair, she was hired by Hong Hai Science and Technology Group.

"I was very surprised that I found a job near my home just through my phone screen," Ms. Men said. Online job fairs like these have connected thousands of workers with businesses.

At Nenh Market in Viet Yen District, Ms. Le Thi Hoa, a small business owner, happily shared about cashless payments: "Now customers scan QR codes, it's very quick and convenient. No need to worry about small change anymore, and customers like it too." From traditional markets to shopping malls, electronic payments have become widespread, changing people's transaction habits.

Bac Giang has made a strong leap in the national digital transformation rankings. For three consecutive years (2020, 2021, 2022), the Provincial Digital Transformation Index (DTI) ranked in the top 10 out of 63 provinces and cities; in 2023, it ranked in the top 9 out of 63 (exceeding the target set in the Resolution).

Regarding the results of the component index "Building and developing e-government and digital government" in administrative reform for three consecutive years (2020, 2021, 2022), the province ranked 1st out of 63. The Vietnam Information and Communication Technology Readiness Index (ICT Index) in 2022 ranked 5th out of 63. In recent years, Bac Giang province's Public Administration Reform Index (PAR INDEX) has consistently been among the top 15 provinces nationwide and has improved its ranking each year. The field of "Reforming the state apparatus" ranked 2nd nationwide.

In administrative reform, Bac Giang also made its mark by rising from 13th place (in 2020) to 4th place (in 2023), an increase of 9 positions in just 3 years. The province's digital economy contributed 47.81% to its GRDP in 2023, with the information technology industry achieving revenue of over 503,000 billion VND in 2024.

To achieve these accomplishments, as early as 2021, the Bac Giang Provincial Party Committee issued Resolution No. 111/NQ-TU on digital transformation for the period 2021-2025, with a vision to 2030, setting the goal of placing the province in the top 15 and then the top 10 nationwide. This is one of the earliest thematic resolutions on digital transformation, demonstrating the strategic vision of the provincial leadership. In this resolution, the province clearly states that 2% of its annual recurrent budget will be allocated to investment in digital transformation.

Deputy Director of the Department of Science and Technology Nguyen Gia Phong commented: "The synchronization from the provincial level to the grassroots, and the linking of digital transformation with the evaluation of administrative reform, has created great momentum. Leaders match words with actions, closely supervising each stage."

That determination helped Bac Giang overcome many initial obstacles such as inconsistent infrastructure and limited initial awareness among the people. The provincial government has invested heavily in digital infrastructure, with a budget of approximately 1,600 billion VND for the 2021-2025 period, reaching and exceeding the minimum 2% of the regular budget each year.

A four-level interconnected online meeting system, 100% household fiber optic internet coverage, and over 1,700 security and traffic surveillance cameras across the province are concrete results of this investment.

Currently, Bac Giang is collaborating with the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology to organize master's degree programs and regular training courses leading to second degrees in information technology and digital transformation for officials in charge of information technology and digital transformation in departments, agencies, and localities. These measures are gradually improving the quality of human resources, serving the task of maintaining and improving the province's ranking in digital transformation.

Bac Giang has selected highly practical breakthrough areas to promote digital transformation. One of these is the development of a set of indicators to measure digital transformation, helping the province to accurately monitor and evaluate the progress of each agency and unit.

Mr. Nguyen Gia Phong further shared: "The set of indicators acts like a compass, clearly showing areas of weakness and strength, so that leaders have a basis for timely adjustments." The "5-in-1" approach (receiving, appraising, approving, stamping, and returning results on the spot) in resolving administrative procedures is another highlight, which has helped Bac Giang shorten processing time and increase the rate of online applications to 80.47% in 2023.

Integrating population data with the Administrative Procedure Resolution Information System is also a groundbreaking step. Bac Giang is among the first 10 provinces nationwide to implement this, enabling citizens to access multiple services with just a single identification.

In addition, initiatives such as developing the "Bacgiang-C" application, a system for reporting on-site incidents in the area; the "3 no's, 1 yes" model (no paperwork, no direct contact with one-stop service officials, cashless payment, and electronic results provided to citizens); deploying a "Virtual Assistant" on Zalo OA; designing a "Public Service Card" and applying QR codes... have increased connectivity and created convenience for citizens and businesses.

In the digital economy, the province has supported over 140,000 businesses, cooperatives, and households to join e-commerce platforms, generating hundreds of thousands of transactions worth nearly 100 billion VND in two years. Mr. Tran Van Truong, owner of a furniture manufacturing business in Bac Giang city, said: “Thanks to e-commerce platforms, I doubled my revenue compared to the same period in 2023. The company has expanded its market without investing too much in advertising and promoting its capabilities.”

Bac Giang's digital transformation journey is not just about numbers or rankings, but about real changes in people's lives. From farmers selling lychees on social media platforms, small traders scanning QR codes, to young workers finding jobs online... technology has become an indispensable part of their lives.

According to DANG GIANG/Nhan Dan Newspaper

Link to the original article

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/nhip-song-so/bac-giang-but-pha-chuyen-doi-so-145170.html