PAR Index - From rankings to effectiveness in serving the people.

The Public Administration Reform Index (PAR INDEX) for 2025 continues to show positive progress in public administration reform at the local level. Beyond reflecting the level of achievement of targets and tasks, the PAR INDEX is increasingly becoming an important "measure" of the governance capacity and quality of service provided to citizens and businesses by the government apparatus.

Residents of Lam Tan commune, Can Tho city, experience using the "Digital Citizen Assistant" to look up administrative procedures online.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs , 2025 marks the 14th year of implementing the PAR INDEX assessment for provinces and cities, with updated and supplemented criteria that are more relevant to reality, focusing on evaluating the impact of administrative reform on citizens and socio-economic development. As a result, the average PAR INDEX value for provinces in 2025 reached 89.96%, an increase of 1.59% compared to 2024 and the highest ever. This demonstrates the determination of provincial and city leaders in directing and managing efforts to improve the effectiveness of administrative reform, especially since the implementation of the two-tiered local government system.

Notably, many localities have viewed administrative reform as a driving force for growth and enhanced competitiveness. Hai Phong City leads the country with 95.37%, linked to breakthroughs in institutional reform, investment environment, and digital transformation. Not only has Hai Phong improved its ranking, but it has also maintained double-digit GRDP growth for 11 consecutive years, demonstrating the strong connection between administrative reform and local economic development. Provinces such as Quang Ninh, Dong Nai, Ninh Binh, and Hanoi City have also maintained high results thanks to accelerated administrative procedure reform, streamlined bureaucracy, increased decentralization, and the application of digital technology in handling work.

The above results show that when leaders are decisive in directing and managing, administrative reform will create a favorable environment for businesses and improve the satisfaction level of the people. Among the eight component indicators, "Administrative Procedure Reform" continues to achieve the highest result, with an average value of 98.14%, demonstrating that many localities have shifted from a "management" mindset to a "service" mindset, focusing on simplifying procedures, reducing processing time, and increasing transparency. Digital transformation has also been strongly implemented, gradually changing the methods of governance and public service delivery.

In 2025, Can Tho City ranked 17th out of 34 provinces and cities in the PAR Index, with a score of 90.05%, belonging to Group A - which includes 18 provinces and cities with scores of 90% or higher. One of Can Tho's highlights is its component index "Leadership and Management of Administrative Reform," which achieved a 100% score. However, according to the PAR Index report, the city's administrative reform efforts still have shortcomings and limitations: delayed processing of documents; low rate of online public services and online applications; some agencies have leaders and managers who violated regulations in the performance of their duties and were disciplined; some agencies have not completed the required digital transformation targets and tasks; and some socio-economic development targets have not been met as set by the City People's Council.

Speaking at the meeting of the Can Tho City Administrative Reform Assessment and Ranking Council in early May 2026, Mr. Truong Canh Tuyen, Chairman of the City People's Committee, noted that units need to thoroughly assess the transparency in the recruitment and appointment of civil servants and public employees; the quality of training and professional development for officials and civil servants; and the field of public finance. At the same time, they should develop solutions to address the shortcomings and limitations identified in the 2025 PAR INDEX report.

Not only Can Tho City, but several other provinces and cities are still struggling in managing administrative reform, especially in areas related to digital transformation, civil service reform, and organizational structure. The Ministry of Interior assesses that the large workload and many new, unprecedented tasks have prevented some areas from fully realizing the effectiveness of administrative reform. This reality necessitates that localities continue to strongly innovate their leadership and management of administrative reform in a more substantive direction. Administrative reform should not only focus on improving rankings, but also create a clear transformation in service quality, reducing inconvenience for citizens and businesses. In the context of operating a two-tiered local government system, promoting national digital transformation, and streamlining the administrative apparatus, the need to improve governance efficiency becomes even more urgent.

To improve the quality of administrative reform, the Can Tho City government at all levels continues to promote comprehensive digital transformation, enhance the capacity of officials, increase data connectivity between sectors and fields, and promote the role of leaders in directing and managing. This contributes to improving competitiveness, boosting investment attraction, and promoting sustainable urban development.

Text and photos: QUOC THAI

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/chi-so-par-index-tu-bang-xep-hang-den-hieu-qua-phuc-vu-nguoi-dan-a205608.html