As long as people continue to complain, the government must have effective solutions.

On the afternoon of October 1st, concluding the Government meeting to assess the implementation and review and resolve difficulties regarding the two-tiered local government model, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh clearly stated that as long as people continue to complain, the Government's work will remain arduous and challenging, requiring effective solutions; and as long as localities remain underdeveloped, the Government must take responsibility for and promote their development.

Báo Tin Tức•01/10/2025

Photo caption — Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a meeting to assess the results of operating the two-tiered local government model. Photo: Duong Giang/TTXVN.

The review meeting noted that, during the first three months of operation, the two-tiered local government model has gradually become well-established, ensuring uniformity and smooth operation in state management from the central to the local level.

To date, 100% of localities have appointed sufficient leadership positions in the People's Committees at all levels. Specialized agencies at the provincial and commune levels have been reorganized. Cadres have been assigned, rotated, seconded, and reinforced, prioritizing the placement of personnel with expertise and experience in the fields of planning, construction, architecture, transportation, land, resources, environment, education, training, and information technology to the People's Committees at the commune level.

To date, 142,746 people nationwide have received termination notices, of which 105,056 (73.6%) have received their severance pay. Eleven ministries and six provinces/cities have completed the payment process; ten ministries and three localities have only paid 60%. Many localities have implemented support programs for housing, transportation, vocational training, and employment for redundant staff.

Nationwide, proposals have been made to abolish 519 administrative procedures and simplify 2,421 others. From July 1st to September 30th, approximately 7 million online applications were received, with a 91% on-time processing rate. Over 3,100 commune-level public administrative service centers (in 32 provinces and cities) have been put into operation, applying a modern one-stop model, with many utilizing AI and electronic forms. These centers are initially operating stably, facilitating administrative procedures for citizens.

Many localities have put into operation two-tiered centralized control centers, implementing centralized electronic document management and digital signatures, connecting with national databases on population, land, and businesses. Some communes and wards are piloting artificial intelligence in data analysis and security and order alerts. Thousands of commune-level officials have received digital skills training, contributing to improved management efficiency.

Basically, provinces and cities have stabilized their office locations, ensuring uninterrupted service to the people. In many places, surplus office space has been repurposed for public facilities and community centers. The review and allocation of official vehicles, machinery, and equipment have been carried out seriously and transparently.

However, during the implementation process, difficulties and obstacles still remain. These include delays in issuing guiding documents, especially in the fields of finance and accounting, land, and education ; difficulties in infrastructure and human resources in many areas; inadequacies in the online public service system and inconsistent data; and unresolved issues regarding the payment of benefits and policies for those who have left their jobs. People in some areas have not yet adapted to the new procedures…

Delegates argued that the difficulties and obstacles mentioned above were partly due to the fact that this was the first time operating a two-tiered local government model, so initial confusion was inevitable. The system of legal documents and directives was extensive, and the staff and civil servants had not had enough time to fully understand them, resulting in limited application in some cases.
Meanwhile, the population size and natural area of the administrative units after reorganization have increased significantly, increasing the pressure on handling administrative procedures, providing public services, and managing state administration at the commune level…

Concluding the meeting, reviewing the outstanding results, the Prime Minister commended the ministries, sectors, and localities for their efforts in ensuring the smooth operation of the two-tiered local government system, improving the administrative capacity of local governments, shifting from a managerial to a proactive and innovative approach, with results improving week after week, month after month, and quarter after quarter; bringing convenience to the people and businesses.

Agreeing with the delegates' opinions on some limitations that need to be overcome and their causes, the Prime Minister emphasized that as long as people continue to complain, the government's work will remain difficult and arduous, requiring effective solutions; and as long as localities remain underdeveloped, the government must review, address, and promote development.

The Prime Minister assigned the Deputy Prime Ministers in charge of the assigned ministries and sectors to direct and, together with the Ministers of those ministries and sectors, review and handle the issues and contents according to Conclusion No. 195-KL/TW of the Politburo and the Secretariat of the Central Committee, based on their assigned functions and tasks, in the spirit of the six clear points (clear person, clear task, clear time, clear authority, clear responsibility, clear result), report the results weekly, review the work, and report to the Politburo.

The overarching principle is to immediately address and resolve difficulties and obstacles in the organization and operation of the two-tiered local government model, based on the principle that each level and agency is responsible for handling the issues. The Prime Minister requested innovative thinking, decisive implementation, and a cautious, non-impulsive approach.

The Prime Minister has assigned the Minister of Science and Technology to develop tools and systems for evaluating the performance of local government operations at the two levels of the Government in real time, ensuring interconnectedness and data consistency with the central government's evaluation network.

The relevant parties established Government Task Forces to inspect, supervise, review, and support localities in resolving difficulties and obstacles in the organization and operation of the two-tiered local government system and other issues.

The Ministry of Interior, in coordination with the Ministry of Finance, will review and assess the causes and responsibilities, and definitively resolve the issue of paying benefits and entitlements to those who have been granted leave under Decree No. 178/2024/ND-CP, completing this before October 10th. The Ministry of Finance, in coordination with local authorities, will review and definitively resolve delays in opening payment accounts for organizations at the grassroots level.

Given the uneven capacity of grassroots officials, especially in state management, institutional development, information technology, and a sense of responsibility, the Prime Minister requested continued thorough assessment and review to overcome the current difficulties regarding the shortage and weakness of commune-level officials and civil servants in both the short and long term; and to provide definitive guidance on determining job positions and staffing levels at the commune level.

Directing the acceleration of decentralization and delegation of power, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested that it be implemented in the spirit of "those who do it best should be assigned the task, those who don't know shouldn't be involved," and "local authorities decide, local authorities do, local authorities are responsible, the central government will not do it for them."

Ministries and sectors, in coordination with localities, will review and resolve institutional and legal obstacles; develop and promulgate missing decrees and circulars, including reviewing, amending, and immediately eliminating overlapping, contradictory, and bottlenecking legal regulations; and resolve difficulties in handling administrative procedures, especially in areas such as land, planning, finance, assets, construction, transportation, and surplus housing and land after restructuring.

Directing and assigning tasks to ministries and agencies to accelerate digital transformation; ensuring adequate and smooth infrastructure for electricity, telecommunications, etc., Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that everyone must strive to ensure that the two levels of local government operate synchronously, uniformly, smoothly, and comprehensively, meeting the expectations of the Party, the State, and the people; the new organizational structure must be better than the old one; and the handling of administrative procedures for citizens and businesses must be increasingly improved.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/thoi-su/nguoi-dan-con-phan-nan-thi-chinh-phu-phai-co-giai-phap-hieu-qua-20251001194444929.htm