"Without streamlining the apparatus, there can be no development"

This morning (October 31), giving his opinion at the group discussion, General Secretary To Lam said that the policy of establishing Hue city directly under the Central Government has been prepared for a long time, the most important thing is that it must meet the criteria of a city directly under the Central Government.

General Secretary To Lam expressed his opinion at the meeting on the morning of October 31. Photo: Pham Thang

"When the city first developed, how did it develop?"

Centrally-governed cities must be the growth poles of the region. The country currently has 5 centrally-governed cities. With the addition of Hue city, the number will increase to 6.

“Cities directly under the Central Government must have development prospects and must research special mechanisms and policies because the city is a growth pole and must take the lead in innovation, budget revenue and expenditure, and socio-economic development,” the General Secretary emphasized.

The General Secretary asked: "If we become a city, how will we develop first?"

According to General Secretary To Lam, the city must be sustainable and harmonious. If the city continues to develop rapidly while the countryside continues to face increasing difficulties, it will not be acceptable. People will continue to flock to the city while the new countryside becomes impoverished.

The General Secretary also said that the Central Committee had discussed the issue of establishing Hue City under the central government and found that it met the criteria. As for the limitations, the National Assembly would discuss and resolve them.

“Hue is very worthy but we must also share the difficulties that Hue will face if it becomes a city... All those difficulties must be overcome,” the General Secretary stated.

For localities that want to strive to become centrally-governed cities, the General Secretary noted that they must base their decisions on criteria from planning, population, economic, social, cultural development... all of which have regulations.

“The whole country for Hue, Hue for the whole country. I think Hue deserves it. However, becoming a city requires a period, a transition... We hope that time is not too long,” the General Secretary commented.

Streamlined, effective, efficient apparatus

Regarding the organization of the urban government of Hai Phong city, General Secretary To Lam said that many delegates were concerned about the urban government mechanism and how to make the State management apparatus effective and efficient.

General Secretary To Lam affirmed that if the country wants to develop, it must streamline the apparatus and increase effectiveness and efficiency. Photo: Pham Thang

General Secretary To Lam stated that this is a very big issue and is being discussed to streamline, make the apparatus more effective and efficient. At the same time, it must not be formal but must be true to the substance as the delegate stated that the People's Council must have talented people and not hold concurrent positions.

“Since the 12th Congress, the Central Committee’s resolution has assessed that the State apparatus is cumbersome, operates ineffectively and inefficiently, and needs to be reorganized and streamlined. However, currently, it is only being done from the bottom up, such as merging communes and districts, while the province has not yet done so. The Central Government has not yet done the reorganization in some departments, bureaus, and general departments of ministries and branches,” said General Secretary To Lam.

“If the central government can be streamlined, the provinces will be streamlined. Without ministries, how can the provinces have departments? Without departments, how can the districts have offices? What should be the method? This is a very big issue that must be discussed in the near future,” the General Secretary stated.

“This is a resolution of the Central Committee that has been said for several terms and has been evaluated like that, so it must be considered. Everyone must do it, be responsible for this, and if we do not meet that requirement, we must be ashamed...”, the General Secretary affirmed.

The General Secretary also pointed out that the work must be done everywhere and that the Central Committee must set an example, the Party's committees must set an example, the National Assembly must set an example, and the Government must set an example.

At the same time, we must be very frank and bold, looking at these indicators and if we do not do so, we will not be able to develop.

“Without streamlining the apparatus, there can be no development,” the General Secretary noted.

The National Assembly discussed in groups the Draft Resolution on the organization of urban government in Hai Phong City and the establishment of Hue City under the Central Government on the morning of October 31. Photo: Pham Thang

The General Secretary cited that currently, the budget is spending nearly 70% on salaries, regular expenses, and operations. If the budget is managed like this, there will be no money left for investment and development. “If the country wants to develop, wants this project or that project, where will the money come from? If we feed each other, where will the money come from for development? With only 30% of the budget left, where will the money go for national defense, security, hunger eradication and poverty reduction, and social security? Meanwhile, other countries spend more than 40%, even though their apparatus is huge. At least over 50% of the budget must be spent on development, national defense, security, education, health, social security, etc.,” the General Secretary emphasized.

The reason why we cannot increase salaries is also due to the huge apparatus, because increasing salaries will take up 80 - 90% of budget expenditures. There is no more budget money to do other activities. “They keep promising for 2025 - 2026, but the pressure is very difficult, we need to look at it very realistically. If so, will we feel secure and peaceful? So we need to streamline the apparatus, continue to reduce staff, reduce regular expenditures to save resources for investment and development. A cumbersome apparatus is very difficult, it hinders development,” said General Secretary To Lam.

According to the General Secretary, many ministries and branches do not clearly define their functions and tasks, do not decentralize to localities, and have to do things for the sake of asking and giving. Localities should do it, but we do not have the people to do it, so we keep asking and asking but do not get an answer, wasting time. “The current mechanism is like that. Just one different idea is insurmountable, months and months of discussing those issues but not being able to resolve them because this ministry has no opinion. Whoever this ministry asks, one specialist in a department has something different. That is not fulfilling one's responsibilities.”

Or an issue but don't know who is in charge. The General Secretary cited the issue of sand, rock, and gravel as involving 5-6 ministries but when asked, no one knew who was in charge. The Ministry of Transport said that taking sand and gravel from the river is to clear the channel. Any enterprise that exploits the riverbed, we pay because we help clear the channel. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment said no because it is a resource warehouse, anyone who wants to exploit it must pay. The Ministry of Construction said it is construction materials.

“Just one problem, so many meetings, but when asked who is responsible, no one knows. How can the apparatus endure like this, how can it develop? The locality is the same, very difficult, and the Department of Transport, Natural Resources and Environment... A simple problem, why is it so cumbersome, overlapping, difficult, wasting so much time on these things.

“It is cumbersome and overlapping, but there are still negative aspects. Is such management good? Even some stages from transportation, exploitation, to pouring into industrial zones and construction sites have the shadow of criminals taking advantage of the mechanism. This is an issue that needs to be considered,” the General Secretary emphasized.

Source: https://vov.vn/chinh-tri/tong-bi-thu-to-lam-khong-tinh-gon-bo-may-thi-khong-phat-trien-duoc-post1132236.vov