Applying Innovations in Administrative Reform

With the strong determination of the entire political system, especially the strong leadership of the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee, Ninh Binh province has achieved important, effective and practical administrative reform outcomes. Many administrative reform innovations and initiatives have produced clear results and helped improve the business environment, attract investment capital and bolster socioeconomic development.

Mr. Pham Quang Ngoc, Chairman of Ninh Binh Provincial People's Committee, chairs the conference to review 2023 activities and outline 2024 goals for the Department of Home Affairs

More effective and substantive administrative reform

In 2023, the province’s Public Administration Reform Index (PAR Index) reached 88.72%, ranking 11th out of 63 provinces and cities nationwide, climbing six places from 2022 and nine places from 2021. Among 11 Red River Delta provinces and cities, it ranked 4th, after Quang Ninh, Hai Phong and Hanoi. This showed that the province's effort and resolve to boost administrative reform have brought about clearer and more substantive results.

In particular, in eight evaluation areas, the “Administrative reform direction and operation” subindex continued to secure its 1st position out of 63 provinces and cities, the third consecutive year in this position (reaching 100%). Three high-ranking subindices included “Institutional Reform” (ranking 24th, up 35 places from 2022 and four places from 2021), “Administrative Procedure Reform” (ranking 11th, up seven places from 2022 and 29 places from 2021), and “E-government and digital government construction and development” (ranking 36th, up six places from 2022 and 16 places from 2021).

Mr. Dinh Cong Toan, Director of the Department of Home Affairs, Ninh Binh province, said: To ensure effective administrative reform, the province launched many plans and documents to resolutely direct agencies, units and localities to implement administrative reform. The Department of Home Affairs advised the Provincial People's Committee to direct comprehensive administrative reform with six contents, especially administrative procedure reform, public service reform, digital government building and administrative apparatus reform. Many innovations and initiatives in administrative reform have brought about clear outcomes. At the Provincial Public Administration Service Center, the department simultaneously carried out solutions to increase the rate and quality of online public services like piloting “Providing free personal public digital signatures in performing online public services” and “No paper records in some services, no paper records in some days.” In addition, the Department of Transport had initiatives to promote communications and guide citizens to perform full-process online public services. Gia Vien District piloted the Ninh Binh Digital Citizen Application (My Ninh Binh).

Furthermore, the District/City People's Committees focused on directing, researching and proposing initiatives for higher quality and better performance of single-window divisions. Specifically, the Kim Son District People's Committee adopted the initiative of “some solutions to enhance the effect of online public services in Quang Thien commune”, “Some solutions for better quality of ‘Friendly, serviced, modern, effective administration’ at the Reception and Result Delivery Division at An Hoa Commune People's Committee”. Tam Diep City People's Committee launched the initiative of “Establishing a working group to propagate administrative reform, receive public opinions and recommendations on administrative reform of the People's Committee, guide and support people to submit online administrative procedures.”

Administrative discipline is a regular task. The province also supports solving investment and business procedures in a novel and quick fashion. Ninh Binh established special working groups to resolve and support the implementation of investment procedures for projects, especially foreign-invested ones.

The province also developed the District and Department Competitiveness Index (DDCI) to enhance competitiveness and stimulate work performance among agencies and localities. Especially, the increased dialogue between provincial leaders with citizens and businesses has demonstrated the province’s efforts in directing the settlement of difficulties and obstacles in policy enforcement, thus facilitating business development, enhancing competitiveness, attracting more investment fund and creating momentum for socioeconomic growth.

Clearing bottlenecks

Currently, a total of 1,859 administrative procedures are in force in the province. All are made public to meet regulatory compliance. The so-called single-window mechanism continues to be effectively operated in administrative agencies and localities. The Public Administration Service Center is operating a telephone switchboard system to advise and answer questions from organizations and citizens about administrative procedures, thereby promptly processing information and gaining the satisfaction and trust of citizens and organizations.

To continue its significant achievements, in the coming time, the Department of Home Affairs will continue to work with relevant bodies and localities to advise the Provincial People's Committee and the Chairperson of the Provincial People's Committee to implement many important tasks, including the removal of mechanism and policy bottlenecks to support business operations, enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of direction and administration, tighten administrative discipline and order in all fields, and resolutely assign responsibility to individual officers.

The province will arrange administrative units at district and commune levels in line with the Ninh Binh Provincial Master Planning for the 2021 - 2030 period, with a vision to 2050 to reorganize territorial spaces, allocate resources, attract investment fund and utilize all available potential strengths. It will continue its principle of "people-centered service, leading reform and growth supporting technology". Accordingly, administrative procedure reform needs to be aligned with digital transformation to improve effectiveness and efficiency, facilitate and reduce costs for people and businesses, further upgrade the investment and business environment, and enhance provincial competitiveness.

"Ninh Binh will continue to accelerate administrative reform to build a democratic and modern administration, build a prestigious and competent workforce, and streamline administrative agencies to boost their effective and efficient performances. Administrative reform will assist the early realization of the province's goal and aspiration of becoming a centrally governed city by 2035, characterized by a Millennium Heritage City and a creative city," Director Dinh Cong Toan emphasized.

By Le Nam, Vietnam Business Forum