Direct service at the facility
Implementing the two-level local government and the orientation and direction of the Central Government, the establishment of a public service unit providing basic and essential services to perform the functions and tasks of State management at the commune-level People's Committee is in sync with the arrangement with public service units under the departments and branches. On October 30, 2025, the Standing Committee of the Son La Provincial Party Committee issued Conclusion 21-KL/TU agreeing on the policy of establishing a public service unit under the commune-level People's Committee. On November 4, 2025, the Provincial People's Committee issued a Project to establish a public service unit "General Service Center" under the commune-level People's Committee (Project 2733).
Previously, public service units such as the Center for Communication - Culture or the Center for Agricultural Services were under the district or Department, leading to a situation of many intermediary points, sometimes not close to the actual needs of each commune. According to the new project, 12 Centers for Communication - Culture, with 371 staff and 12 Regional Agricultural Technical Stations, with 264 staff, were reorganized into 75 General Service Centers under 75 communes and wards. A total of 635 civil servants were mobilized and reassigned to serve directly at the grassroots level.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tinh, Deputy Director of the Department of Home Affairs, said: This process was carried out urgently but cautiously, taking opinions from units to ensure feasibility. By November 15, 2025, all 75 centers had completed the establishment procedures and come into operation. The difference between the General Service Center and previous models lies in its autonomy and multi-tasking. According to Project 2733, the Center is a public service unit with legal status, its own seal and account. This allows the Center to be proactive in accounting, financial management and operation without having to depend on many levels.
In terms of function, this is an "integrated" unit that performs essential public services such as: Implementing agricultural, forestry and fishery extension work; preventing and controlling diseases on crops and livestock; managing the quality of agricultural, forestry and fishery products. Carrying out tasks related to culture, sports , tourism and information and communication. This integration helps to significantly reduce the number of focal points, overcome overlaps and dispersion of functions and tasks, ensuring the principle that one unit can provide many public career services of the same type.
One of the biggest challenges when sending civil servants to communes is the difference in quantity and expertise between localities. To solve this problem, Project 2733 has proposed a very specific and humane principle of staff allocation. Because the field of Communication - Culture has a larger number of original staff than the agricultural field, the Project prioritizes the allocation of cultural staff to communes from 2-7 people (especially giving priority to communes with radio, television systems, cultural relics), the agricultural field arranges about 2-5 people.
Regarding personnel work, the Project stipulates that the Center basically arranges at least 1 administrative officer. In particular, to remove difficulties for communes that have not found qualified people for immediate appointment, the Project allows an "open" option: Temporarily arrange 1 Vice Chairman of the commune to be in charge until there is a qualified officer. This is a flexible mechanism to help the apparatus not be "empty" in leadership during the transition period. At the same time, the transfer of officers is also carried out on the principle of respecting wishes and balancing surplus - shortage. For example, communes with surplus officers will be transferred to neighboring communes that are lacking or according to personal wishes.
Early days of operation
The General Service Center provides services such as technical guidance on cultivation, veterinary medicine, or cultural and artistic activities implemented right in the commune. In the first days of operation, the reality in the localities showed positive changes mixed with objective difficulties.
In Muong Bu commune, 11 officials quickly accepted their assigned tasks. Ms. Do Dieu Thuy, Deputy Director of Muong Bu Commune General Service Center, shared: The initial difficulties in terms of facilities, accommodation, and equipment were very great. Because Muong Bu commune merged from 3 old communes, the center's headquarters is located in Muong Chum area, 20 minutes away from the commune center, causing difficulties in coordination. However, implementing the principle of handing over "as is" public assets from old units according to the Project, the Commune People's Committee has made efforts to arrange a workplace, connect electricity, internet, and water so that officials can work with peace of mind.
In Thuan Chau commune, the Center's headquarters is located right in the 3-storey office building in the commune headquarters. Mr. Do Ngoc Quang, Vice Chairman of Thuan Chau Commune People's Committee, affirmed: The establishment of the Comprehensive Service Center is a very necessary step. Previously, agricultural extension and agricultural technical tasks were deployed through the district center, and when reporting, they went through many levels, wasting time. Now, they are deployed directly from the commune, assigned to each responsible official, the progress and efficiency are both higher. Immediately after November 15, the commune urgently assigned tasks to officials; received the handover of assets from the old stations; and developed a plan for 2026 for the center to proactively deploy.
As an official of the old Thuan Chau District Cultural and Communication Center, Mr. Nguyen Van Kien was assigned to the Thuan Chau Commune General Service Center. Mr. Kien shared: In charge of a large area, the workload is very large; but we are determined to be proactive and dedicated to serving. This model requires officials to be multi-tasking, closer to the people, and more attached to the grassroots. This is also a good condition to practice professional skills.
Coming into operation from November 15, 2025, Phieng Cam Commune General Service Center currently has 6 officers and civil servants. Mr. Hoang Tung, Vice Chairman of Phieng Cam Commune People's Committee, in charge of the Center, shared: Many civil servants currently live 80 km away from the office. Overcoming difficulties in the early days of establishment, receiving attention from the local Party Committee and government, arranging an office at the commune headquarters to ensure conditions for going into operation from November 15, 2025. The Center hopes to continue to receive attention, leadership, direction, orientation and guidance from the local Party Committee and government so that the unit can operate effectively according to its assigned functions and tasks.
Towards professionalization
According to the roadmap of Project 2733, after the Centers have stabilized their operations, the province will organize an assessment to adjust the staffing to suit the reality of each locality in the period 2026 - 2030. Places that are currently assigned a higher staffing level than the norm (due to historical reasons) will be gradually reduced according to the streamlining roadmap.
Photo: PV
To improve the quality of human resources, the People's Committee at the commune level will develop a job position project and recruit additional officials with expertise suitable to the specific needs of the locality (such as accounting, veterinary...) instead of passively accepting them as before.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tinh, Deputy Director of the Department of Home Affairs, informed: The Department is recommending that ministries and branches soon issue specific instructions on expertise and profession for the General Service Centers at the commune level. Continue to monitor, direct and guide the People's Committees at the commune level to implement the remaining procedures to complete the organizational structure, regulate the job positions of the Center, ensure organizational stability, timely provide basic and essential public services to the people, especially in remote and isolated communes; improve the quality of services, taking people's satisfaction as a measure. Organize inspections and evaluate the effectiveness of the Centers' operations, especially difficulties and obstacles, to promptly advise on solutions and appropriate adjustments.
In practice, the first 10 days of operation of the General Service Center in communes and wards have inevitably encountered difficulties and problems from facilities to operating procedures, but with the flexibility in direction and sense of responsibility of the staff, the model promises to create a solid foundation for a service administration: Modern, effective and truly close to the people.
Source: https://baosonla.vn/thuong-mai-dich-vu/dua-dich-vu-tong-hop-den-gan-dan-BBfYHGZvR.html
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