Golden opportunity for local governance

Youth Union members of Hoang Loc commune guide people to update VNeID software on mobile phones to handle administrative procedures. Photo: Minh Hieu

In the digital age, when the fourth industrial revolution is profoundly changing all aspects of life, digital transformation is not simply the application of technology. It is a comprehensive change in thinking, leadership, management, production, business and serving people. Thanh Hoa is currently strongly implementing local government activities at the commune level in a digital environment, aiming to realize a modern, public, transparent and people-serving administration.

Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation states: “Promoting digital transformation, applying science, technology and innovation in the activities of agencies in the political system; improving the effectiveness of national governance, the effectiveness of State management in all fields, ensuring national defense and security”. Based on the direction of the Central Government and implementing the policy of merging, streamlining and ending commune-level activities, implementing two-level local government activities from July 1, 2025, the Standing Committee of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee has identified the commune-level administrative apparatus as the place that has the most direct and frequent contact with people and businesses, so it needs to be "digitalized" synchronously and comprehensively. From that awareness, the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee directed the Provincial People's Committee to focus on leading the Department of Science and Technology to upgrade the information technology (IT) system, high-speed internet connection, technical equipment and shared software applications for communes and wards.

Director of Thanh Hoa Department of Science and Technology Tran Duy Binh said: From the direction of the Provincial People's Committee and the guidance of the Department of Science and Technology, communes in the province have implemented the review, investment and upgrading of IT infrastructure in new administrative units. Each commune must ensure 100% internal LAN, high-speed Internet connection, online conference system connected to the provincial level, shared document management software, digital signatures and an effective one-stop department. More importantly, data standardization and interconnection between software and systems are being carried out synchronously. Information from the Provincial Data Center is shared to each commune; the system for managing executive documents, work management, and provincial reports are deployed to the commune level; all documents are transferred on a digital platform, ensuring no interruption when there are changes in organization and personnel.

In particular, the Department of Science and Technology has requested localities to ensure “no interruption in the process of receiving and processing administrative procedures at the commune level, including during the period of changing the organizational model or merging administrative units”. This is a directive demonstrating the province’s strong determination to maintain continuity, stability and improve the quality of service to the people even when the apparatus fluctuates.

One of the important contents of the two-level local government activities is the implementation of the Public Administration Service Center at the commune level, which has been converted from receiving administrative procedures on paper to receiving procedures in a digital environment. According to the direction of the Provincial People's Committee, all administrative procedures at the commune level, from birth registration, death registration, household registration, land, certification, social security... must be processed electronically. Procedures connecting between levels are carried out via a digital platform, with synchronized data, minimizing the need for citizens to travel. The system of public administration service centers at the commune level is equipped with devices to assess people's satisfaction, contributing to creating positive pressure to force commune-level officials and civil servants to change their working style, increase productivity, and reduce hassle.

Notably, to ensure a "smooth digital transformation process", the Provincial Party Standing Committee has requested the establishment of community digital technology teams at the grassroots level, mobilizing young cadres, union members, association members... to participate in supporting people in using online public services, especially the elderly, ethnic minorities and vulnerable groups.

Implementation practice in Thanh Hoa shows that: If we want the two-level local government to operate effectively, the commune level - the place closest to the people - must have enough capacity, infrastructure conditions and, most importantly, enough political determination to innovate. When each commune becomes a "key data center", a "digital touch point" for the people, digital government is no longer a concept, but a vivid reality in every daily administrative transaction. Digital transformation is no longer an opportunity, but a vital solution for a modern, public and serving administration.

Minh Hieu

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/co-hoi-vang-cho-quan-tri-dia-phuong-255126.htm