Innovating the governance model to enable the capital city to achieve breakthroughs.

Speaking at the conference on May 26th to approve the draft report on the results of the second phase of inspection and supervision by the Politburo and the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam regarding the Standing Committee of the Hanoi City Party Committee, General Secretary and President To Lam, Head of Inspection and Supervision Team No. 10 of the Politburo and the Secretariat of the Central Committee, emphasized the requirement: "Hanoi must take the lead in building a modern urban governance model, digitizing and digitally managing, minimizing the 'request-and-grant' mechanism, reducing administrative intermediaries, and reducing formal meetings."

As Vietnam enters a new era of development with increasingly high demands for effectiveness and efficiency in governance, this is not only a requirement for Hanoi but also reflects a profound shift in thinking about national and urban governance. A modern city cannot continue to operate with outdated management methods, burdened by bureaucracy, multiple layers of intermediaries, and overly dependent on traditional administrative mechanisms. As the capital and the national political and administrative center, Hanoi not only has the responsibility to develop itself but must also play a pioneering role, leading the entire country in reforming urban governance models towards greater transparency, intelligence, efficiency, and better service to the people.

A modern city must first and foremost be governed using modern methods. This means that all operational activities must be based on data, technology, and tangible efficiency, rather than manual, emotional, or bureaucratic management thinking. Hanoi is facing a great opportunity to transform itself into a leading smart city in the region, but to achieve this, the most important issue is not how much technology is invested, but rather a change in management thinking.

For many years, administrative reform has been identified as one of the breakthroughs for the whole country in general and Hanoi in particular. Despite achieving many positive results, reality shows that many procedures remain cumbersome; the "request-and-grant" system still exists in many forms, increasing time and costs and reducing opportunities for development for citizens and businesses. The "request-and-grant" mechanism not only causes delays but also creates an environment prone to corruption, affecting public trust in the government apparatus.

Therefore, the demand to "minimize the 'request-and-grant' mechanism" is not simply about reforming administrative procedures, but more fundamentally about building a modern, transparent governance system based on the rule of law and data. When processes are digitized, made public, and highly automated, dependence on individual subjective will will be significantly reduced. Citizens will no longer have to seek out "unnamed doors" or rely on connections to have their legitimate needs addressed.

To achieve this, Hanoi needs to build a governance ecosystem based on big data and interconnected systems between departments, agencies, communes, and wards. Data must become a crucial operating foundation for a modern city. When data remains fragmented, disjointed, and inconsistent, smart governance will be difficult to implement effectively. Conversely, if data is fully integrated, the government can better predict issues related to traffic, the environment, population, health, education , and urban security, leading to quicker, more accurate, and more effective decision-making.

In fact, many developed cities around the world have adopted a "digital government" model, where administrative activities are monitored and managed in real time. Decisions no longer rely primarily on paper reports or lengthy meetings, but are supported by continuously updated data systems. Hanoi can certainly learn from this experience to build a truly smart city operations center, where city leaders can instantly grasp emerging issues and address them immediately on a digital platform.

Along with data digitization and digital governance, reducing administrative intermediate layers is also a crucial requirement. The more intermediate steps there are in a system, the more likely work will be stalled and responsibility will be passed around. Many seemingly simple tasks require multiple levels of approval, numerous meetings, and numerous written requests for opinions. This not only reduces management efficiency but also leads to missed opportunities for development.

Streamlining intermediaries doesn't mean loosening management, but rather making responsibilities clearer, processes more transparent, and decisions faster. A competent official should be given sufficient authority to handle tasks instead of having to wait for too many layers of approval. When individual responsibilities are clearly defined, the system will operate more efficiently, and citizens will find it easier to monitor.

A modern administration must aim for tangible efficiency rather than formality. Officials cannot spend excessive time on paperwork and meetings; instead, they must focus on resolving issues for citizens and businesses. The application of digital technology must aim to streamline processes, shorten processing times, and enhance individual accountability.

Hanoi is currently facing numerous major challenges related to population, traffic, environmental pollution, infrastructure pressure, and the quality of public services. These issues cannot be solved with outdated management thinking. The city needs a radical reform at the root of its governance model, placing citizens and businesses at the center of service. Ultimately, all reforms and technological applications must aim to make people's lives more convenient, transparent, and better.

As the capital of the country, Hanoi not only needs to develop rapidly but also in a civilized, modern, and sustainable direction. Leading the way in building a modern urban governance model is not only a political responsibility but also an essential requirement for Hanoi to assert its leading role in the digital age.

However, building a modern governance model is not an easy task. The biggest challenge lies not in technology but in mindset and people. Digital transformation is not simply about moving paper documents to an electronic environment, but about changing the way the entire system operates. This requires staff to shift from a "management" mindset to a "service" mindset, from passive administration to proactive, data-driven management.

The road ahead is certainly fraught with difficulties, but with a strong commitment to reforming governance thinking, Hanoi can absolutely become a model for the whole country in digital government, smart governance, and service-oriented administration. This is also a crucial foundation for the capital to continue its breakthrough development in the new era, affirming its position as a city of "Culture - Civilization - Modernity - Happiness," worthy of the role and expectations entrusted by the Party, the State, and the people.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/doi-moi-mo-hinh-quan-tri-de-thu-do-but-pha-976219.html