Two-level government in Yen Binh: From organizational structure to target management

Yen Binh Commune Public Administration Service Center came into operation with 13 officers and civil servants.

Newly formed apparatus, synchronous organization

Implementing the Resolution of the National Assembly Standing Committee on the arrangement of commune-level administrative units, from July 1, 2025, Yen Binh commune was established on the basis of merging 4 administrative units: Dai Dong, Tan Huong, Thinh Hung and Yen Binh town. This is a large-scale administrative unit with a natural area of 150.83 km², a population of nearly 29,000 people, 7,581 households, including eight ethnic groups living together (Kinh, Dao, Nung, Cao Lan, Ha Nhi, H'Mong, Tay, Giay).

Yen Binh has a strategic geographical location, is the trade hub between the Northern Midlands and Mountains region and the capital Hanoi; has a convenient transportation system including National Highway 37, National Highway 70 and waterways on Thac Ba Lake. Land fund, basic technical infrastructure and eco-tourism potential are important foundations for socio -economic development. However, the large area, scattered population, difficult life of a part of the people, and potentially complicated security and order are also significant challenges for the new apparatus.

Immediately after its establishment, the Yen Binh Commune Party Committee focused on consolidating its organization and management methods. In just over the first two months, the commune issued 329 leadership and directive documents, promptly concretizing the policies of the superiors in accordance with local realities. The first Congress of the Commune Party Committee, term 2025-2030, a model congress of Lao Cai province, was successfully held in July 2025, marking an important first step for the new government model.

People of Yen Binh commune come to register for administrative procedures at the commune's Public Administration Service Center.

Agencies in the political system quickly stabilized their operations. The People's Council of the commune held three meetings (one regular session, two thematic sessions), issued 12 resolutions, many of which were highly feasible resolutions on economic development, planning and supervision of government activities. The People's Committee of the commune also issued nearly 1,000 executive documents, including Decision 446/QD-UBND dated August 13, 2025 assigning socio-economic development targets for 2025 and Plan 43/KH-UBND dated August 14, 2025 for the last 6 months of the year.

The organizational structure has been streamlined and functions have been clearly defined. The commune has nearly 500 cadres, civil servants, public employees and workers; of which 59 work in the government sector, 39 in the Party and mass organizations, 28 at the Center for Communication and Culture, and the rest are teachers from schools. Professional staff are arranged according to their capacity and training level, promoting their strengths in each field. Two provincial-level cadres have been assigned to the commune to support cultural and social work.

The new apparatus is not only stable in terms of personnel but also equipped with a relatively synchronous system of facilities and information technology. The working headquarters of the Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee, Fatherland Front and organizations are reasonably rearranged on the basis of inheriting the old district facilities. LAN, high-speed dedicated data transmission lines, firewall systems, anti-malware software and electronic meetings are deployed in the working rooms. 100% of staff are granted digital certificates and digital signatures to serve the management of electronic documents.

Chairman of Yen Binh Commune People's Committee Nguyen Duy Khiem talks with Nhan Dan Newspaper reporter.

The Yen Binh Commune Public Administration Service Center came into operation with 13 officials and civil servants. By September 12, 2025, the total number of received records reached 1,762 records, of which 95.9% were done online. The on-time settlement rate was over 99%, with only five records being overdue. This result demonstrates the rapid adaptation of the local government to a modern governance model, with people as the center of service.

Effectiveness from practice when two-level government goes into effect

From practical management, Chairman of Yen Binh Commune People's Committee Nguyen Duy Khiem said that the operation of the two-level government model has brought about fundamental changes in the management method and the relationship between the government and the people. Previously, people and businesses often had to go through many administrative levels; now, thanks to the streamlining of focal points, the processing process has become faster and more accountable.

Mr. Khiem believes that the most important factor that helps the apparatus operate effectively is the system of villages and residential groups. “Villages and hamlets are not administrative levels, but they are indispensable links in implementing policies to the people,” he said. With 35 villages and residential groups, the team of Party cell secretaries and village heads continue to play a central role in mass mobilization, propaganda and organizing the implementation of political tasks.

In emergency situations such as natural disaster prevention, epidemics, or implementing social security policies, the forces in the villages and hamlets are always the front line, helping the commune government to implement quickly and effectively. When the commune government goes to the grassroots level, it must go through the secretary and village chief - those who "stick to the area, grasp the people's opinions and have a prestigious voice".

For the business community, the new model is considered more favorable. Local businesses participating in the meeting on Vietnam Entrepreneurs Day all said that the reduction of administrative contacts helps them save time and costs. The commune government is now the “only address” for them to work, contributing to increased transparency and efficiency.

As of September 12, Yen Binh Commune Public Administration Service Center has received a total of 1,762 applications, of which 95.9% were done online.

For the staff and civil servants, the workload after the merger has increased significantly, but in general, the majority have adapted quickly. Mr. Khiem commented: "Cadres are now well-trained, it is no longer the time to hold hands and show them how to do things. In the new context, each cadre needs to proactively learn, cultivate and improve their capacity to meet the requirements and adapt to the job." This approach is helping the new apparatus operate in a more professional, disciplined and responsible direction.

However, there are still many difficulties. Facilities and working equipment in many departments have degraded and lack uniformity; some staff have not met the requirements of in-depth expertise in the fields of land, planning, and information technology. The volume of reports, documents, and statistics from superiors is still large, creating great pressure for the grassroots.

Mr. Khiem frankly shared that just a simple reporting request from a superior can make “99 people at the commune level have to work at the same time” to serve that report manually, wasting time and resources. Therefore, he believes that digital transformation is not just a trend but an urgent requirement to “liberate energy for the grassroots, helping the government have time to focus on strategic issues”.

New management thinking

After the period of organizational stabilization, Yen Binh is strongly shifting from the administrative management model to the "goal management" mindset. This is also the key content that Mr. Nguyen Duy Khiem has repeatedly emphasized: The grassroots government cannot just stop at implementing administrative orders, but must know how to identify and pursue specific development goals.

The first Yen Binh Commune Party Congress set a target of double-digit economic growth and a budget revenue of VND550 billion by 2030. To realize this, the commune is focusing on perfecting the management mechanism, encouraging the development of production, services, tourism and exploiting local advantages. According to Mr. Khiem, "a constructive government does not only speak through slogans, but must be demonstrated through actions, through resolutions and specific programs associated with each goal."

We not only manage the state, but also have to learn how to manage goals, so that each policy when issued is aimed at the people, businesses and local development.
Mr. Nguyen Duy Khiem, Chairman of Yen Binh Commune, Lao Cai Province

The “goal management” mindset is spreading among the staff. Each civil servant is assigned a clear task and is responsible for the output instead of just completing the process. This creates a proactive and creative working spirit, reducing pure administrative work.

Along with that, digital transformation is considered the "key" to open the way for modern administration. Yen Binh has completed the issuance of digital signatures and digital certificates for all staff, deployed an electronic document system, online meetings, and connected to a high-speed dedicated data transmission line. The online administrative procedure records reaching nearly 96% are clear evidence of the progress of commune-level e-government.

To maintain the momentum of innovation, the commune recommended that the Provincial People's Committee pay attention to investing in upgrading technology infrastructure and equipment at the Public Administration Service Center; requested the Department of Home Affairs to add civil servants specializing in information technology, land, and planning; and at the same time requested the Provincial Party Committee to soon issue specific regulations and instructions on inspection and supervision work in the two-level government model, ensuring consistency between levels.

Looking back over the past three months, it can be seen that Yen Binh has initially laid the foundation for an effective two-tier government model. The organizational structure is streamlined, the personnel are arranged reasonably, technology infrastructure is invested in, and more importantly, leadership and management thinking is clearly changing.

The first Yen Binh Commune Party Congress set a target of double-digit economic growth and budget revenue of VND550 billion by 2030.

“We not only manage the state, but also have to learn how to manage goals, so that each policy when issued is aimed at the people, businesses and local development,” affirmed Chairman of Yen Binh commune Nguyen Duy Khiem.

From Yen Binh's practice, it can be affirmed that the two-level government model is not only a change in administrative organization, but also a shift in management thinking at the grassroots level - where each cadre and civil servant is placed in a new, more transparent and effective working mechanism. A streamlined apparatus, digital technology and targeted management are opening up new directions for grassroots governments, contributing to realizing the goal of building a professional, serving and development-creating administration.

GROUP OF REPORTERS

Source: https://nhandan.vn/chinh-quyen-2-cap-o-yen-binh-tu-to-chuc-bo-may-den-quan-tri-muc-tieu-post917663.html