Bringing administrative services closer to the people

From the difficulties of people having to work far from home and not having time to handle procedures during office hours, many models of "serving the people" in localities of Can Tho city have been born, contributing to supporting and creating favorable conditions for people to shorten the process and time to handle administrative procedures. Creativity and flexibility in grassroots administrative reform not only increase people's satisfaction but also gradually build a serving, friendly and modern administration.

Citizens come to the Can Tho City Public Administration Service Center to carry out administrative procedures. Photo: Ngoc Thien/VNA

Help the disadvantaged access policies

In recent times, the work of handling administrative procedures in Chau Thanh commune has had many positive changes, which have been recognized and highly appreciated by the people. The One-Stop Department and the Commune Administrative Service Center regularly receive and promptly handle administrative procedures under their authority, ensuring compliance with regulations.

However, in reality, there are still people (especially the elderly, the disabled, social protection beneficiaries, people living far from the commune administrative center...) who have not come to the Public Administration Service Center to complete necessary administrative procedures. Or some people are not knowledgeable about information technology, do not have access to online public services; the rate of social assistance beneficiaries opening accounts to receive payments through banks is still low, mainly still receiving cash...

From the above situation, the model “Saturday for serving the people” was born. Accordingly, every Saturday (starting from November 8 to December 27), Chau Thanh commune officials directly go to hamlets, especially those far from the center to receive and handle administrative procedures (requests for social security benefits, opening accounts to receive subsidies, registering deaths, canceling permanent residence, completing procedures related to residence...) to help people - especially those in vulnerable cases.

On Saturday afternoon (November 8), many elderly people and disadvantaged people (with difficulty moving, receiving subsidies, etc.) in Phu Thuan A hamlet came to the hamlet cultural house to receive guidance and support from the "mobile team" of Chau Thanh Commune Public Administration Service Center in handling administrative documents and procedures. Here, printers, scanners, etc. were also brought along by the "mobile administration" team to be able to basically handle some documents and procedures for the people.

From Phu Thuan A hamlet to Chau Thanh commune's Public Administration Service Center is nearly 15km; because it is far from the center, there are currently many cases in the area that have not accessed the commune's public administration services. Not knowing how to ride a motorbike, not knowing how to submit documents online on the Online Public Service Portal and often working on weekdays, so up to now, Mr. Nguyen Van Hoa, Phu Thuan A hamlet, has not yet registered permanent residence for his grandson.

Therefore, when informed that there were officials coming to the hamlet to support people in resolving administrative procedures related to the field of household registration, Mr. Hoa went to the police to get guidance and support in handling his case. In just about 30 minutes, Mr. Nguyen Van Hoa's problem was resolved. "I am very happy that the commune officials came to the hamlet to support and resolve the difficulties for my family," Mr. Hoa shared.

After the merger, Chau Thanh commune has 18 hamlets, with about 2,400 people receiving social security benefits (pensioners, people with disabilities, people raising young children, etc.). It is expected that every Saturday, the "mobile administrative team" will support the processing of documents and procedures for about 30 people/hamlet.

According to Mr. Son Thai Hoc, Vice Chairman of the Commune People's Committee and Director of the Chau Thanh Commune Public Administration Service Center, after the "Saturday for serving the people" campaign, the Commune People's Committee will summarize and draw experience to continue implementing in 2026 to expand more procedures that people have many requests. "Step by step, build a service administration in a professional, modern and people-centered direction," emphasized the Vice Chairman of the Chau Thanh Commune People's Committee.

Many good models and initiatives

Based on the fact that many people in Vi Thanh 1 commune have to work far away and cannot complete administrative procedures on weekdays, the initiative "Friendly administrative Sunday, administrative service" was born. This is a flexible solution to help people in Vi Thanh 1 overcome this difficulty.

Since October, every Sunday, Vi Thanh 1 Commune Public Administration Service Center has established two "mobile" teams with 12 members to guide and support people in 22 hamlets in carrying out administrative procedures such as making birth certificates for children, issuing health insurance cards, and supporting people in re-issuing lost documents...

Mr. Nguyen Dang Khoa, Civil Judicial Officer of Vi Thanh 1 Commune, said that at first, the model of "Friendly administrative Sunday, administrative service" was planned to be implemented on Saturday, but because some people still had to go to work on Saturday, the Center changed it to Sunday. The "Friendly administrative Sunday, administrative service" team of Vi Thanh 1 Commune is expected to support the processing of about 700 administrative records and procedures for people by the end of December.

In recent times, implementing the policy of building a service-oriented government, with people as the center, the Public Administration Service Centers from commune to city level in Can Tho have proactively deployed many models and initiatives that are creative, practical and close to the people. Notably, My Xuyen ward has deployed the model of "Digital Popular Education" - producing videos to guide online application submission. Tan An ward has organized the model of "Working on Saturday mornings to receive and process applications" at the Public Administration Service Center, creating maximum convenience for people who are busy during the week.

It is noteworthy that the way My Huong and Luong Tam communes maintain the models of "Friendly Government", "Friendly One-Stop Shop", "Quick Response Team", while at the same time supporting disadvantaged people to carry out administrative procedures at home.

According to Ms. Le Xuan Hoa, Director of the Can Tho City Public Administration Service Center, the models all originate from practice, take advantage of available resources, and use people's satisfaction as a measure, thereby concretizing the spirit of "serving the people" in administrative procedure reform and digital transformation.

The models and initiatives have brought about clear effectiveness in serving people and businesses, creating positive changes in people's awareness of online public services. Many localities have recorded a sharp increase in the rate of online application submission, especially in the fields of land, household registration, and business registration. The results of the 766 Index (Indicator for directing, operating, and evaluating the quality of service to people and businesses in performing administrative procedures and public services in real time in the electronic environment) of communes and wards in the city are all excellent, over 86%.

Through direct guidance and support for people to use online services, the staff of the Public Administration Service Center has become more and more professional, proficient in the processes on the electronic system; increased transparency, reduced waiting time, brought convenience and clear satisfaction to people in handling administrative procedures. Thereby contributing to improving the service quality of civil servants and public employees; promoting the spirit of innovation and creativity at the grassroots level; improving the satisfaction index of organizations and individuals with state administrative agencies.

If before, officials only worked during office hours, now the hours have been extended, bringing administrative services closer to the people on weekends, creating people's satisfaction.

"Friendly administrative Sunday, service administration", "Saturday for serving the people"... are clear evidences showing the positive changes in administrative reform at the grassroots level. These models not only solve the practical difficulties and limitations of geographical distance and information technology barriers but also demonstrate the spirit of "Serving government - Friendly administration, close to the people, for the people" of the staff and civil servants.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/thoi-su/dua-dich-vu-hanh-chinh-den-gan-hon-voi-nguoi-dan-20251112090448950.htm