Cashless payment for public services

Báo Quảng Ninh•28/05/2023

Currently, the province is promoting cashless payments in various fields, including public services, contributing to transparency in expenditures and transactions, and meeting the need for convenient and efficient payments for organizations and individuals.

Officials from the Provincial Public Service Center guide and assist citizens in submitting administrative procedure documents. Photo: Minh Ha.

In line with the digital transformation policy and to better meet the electronic payment needs of the people, the province has focused on building and improving the quality of infrastructure and technology serving e-commerce. To date, the province has completed the construction and broadcasting of 54/54 base stations covering 66/66 villages, raising the mobile communication coverage rate to 100% of residential areas in the province. The province has also completed the provision of fixed broadband fiber optic internet infrastructure to 97/113 villages. The total number of mobile subscribers using smart devices in the province is currently 1,414,536/1,858,095 subscribers. The percentage of communes with fiber optic internet has reached 100%. The percentage of households with fiber optic internet connection has reached 79.8%...

Following the province's policy on digital transformation, various units have proactively applied information technology and digital transformation, utilizing electronic payment systems for customers in many public services. For example, the Tax Department has built a database system allowing taxpayers to conduct transactions and make payments electronically; and has promoted tax payments through the eTax and eTax Mobile electronic tax systems. To date, 100% of businesses, organizations, households, and individuals conducting business using the declaration method in the province have registered to use electronic invoices.

In addition, Quang Ninh Power Company connects online payment with 10 commercial banks and 9 payment intermediary organizations to meet the needs of customers for cashless payments; and applies QR codes for all electricity customers to ensure quick, convenient payments and avoid confusion for customers.

Quang Ninh Clean Water Joint Stock Company also implemented a policy to reduce the number of cash payment points for water bills, especially in urban areas; organized work with telecommunications companies and software providers to implement water bill payment via Mobile Money, allowing customers to pay directly through their phones, making it easier for customers without smartphones or bank accounts to pay their water bills.

Regarding tuition payment services, 88.5% of schools in the area have now connected with banks to implement tuition fee collection via electronic payment methods; and have coordinated the opening of payment accounts for students and their parents. In addition, the payment of medical examination and treatment fees via electronic payment methods is also receiving attention from healthcare facilities. Payment areas at healthcare facilities are always equipped with the necessary tools for electronic payment, such as QR codes, POS terminals, bank accounts, and Mobile Money accounts. The Department of Health is also coordinating with agencies and organizations providing software to upgrade and integrate payment modules into hospital information management software. In March 2023, the Dong Trieu Town Health Center and the Hai Ha District Health Center successfully collaborated with Vietinbank Bai Chay to implement a dynamic QR code payment solution for hospital fees, bringing the total number of units implementing this method in the province to 3 (Bai Chay Hospital was the first unit in the province to implement this modern payment method in August 2022). The dynamic QR code payment solution makes the hospital fee payment process faster, more accurate, more convenient, and reduces congestion at payment counters.

The trend of cashless payments is on the rise.

Regarding the payment of fees for public administrative services, the Public Service Center has coordinated with relevant units to adjust and upgrade the electronic one-stop service database system and the provincial public service portal to ensure convenience and ease of use for citizens and businesses in carrying out administrative procedures, including fee payments. Simultaneously, a separate counter has been set up to assist organizations and individuals in registering accounts on the national public service portal to submit applications for administrative procedures and make online payments at the Center. The Center also coordinates with local People's Committees to urge district-level public administrative centers and commune-level reception and results delivery departments to promote the implementation of electronic payment of fees and charges. Currently, 100% of administrative procedures involving fees and charges can be paid electronically when processed directly at the Center or online when organizations and individuals use online public services. To increase the rate of online fee and charge payments, the Public Service Center also coordinated with the Department of Information and Communications to integrate and synchronize the payment platform on the National Public Service Portal with the provincial Public Service Portal and put it into use from September 2022. In the first quarter of 2023, the province maintained a stable online payment system through the national portal, providing 1,368 out of 1,462 online public services on the National Public Service Portal, with the rate of cashless payments reaching 21%, seven times higher than at the end of 2022.

Furthermore, for many services of other units, such as the Department of Transport, the implementation of electronic payment systems is being extended to driver training facilities, testing centers, inland waterway port authorities, inland waterway vehicle inspection stations, road motor vehicle inspection centers, and transport units under the department's management. Simultaneously, solution providers are being invited to conduct on-site surveys of the fee collection process at driver testing centers in the province to develop a demo of the steps for implementing electronic receipts combined with electronic payment methods. Alongside this, support is being provided to transport units to apply IT applications such as bus station management software, transport management software, and e-commerce platforms to facilitate electronic payment systems; and encouraging road transport businesses to adopt electronic methods for booking tickets, purchasing orders, and receiving orders.

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