Party Building

Lean Revolution - Part 2: Not backing down from challenges

News and Politics Reporters Group • DNUM_BIZADZCACF 09:50

Reforming the administrative apparatus is a revolution that has no end point, requiring a flexible and decisive approach. With the spirit of “running while queuing”, the process of arranging the administrative apparatus from the central to local levels is being implemented synchronously, strongly, without delay.

News and Politics Reporter Group• March 18, 2025

Reforming the organizational apparatus is a revolution that has no end, requiring a flexible and decisive approach. With the spirit of “running while lining up”, the process of arranging the administrative apparatus from the central to local levels is being implemented synchronously, strongly, without delay. From the initial results in Nghe An, it can be seen that there is high determination, fast implementation speed and clear results, creating a solid foundation for the next stage of the reform.

In recent times, the Politburo and the Secretariat have continuously issued strong instructions and issued conclusions with specific requirements and implementation timelines, requiring high determination and urgent progress. Nghe An is one of the pioneering localities, having completed the reorganization of the Party and provincial and district government apparatus within 3 months (from December 2024 to March 2025), according to the principle: One agency does many things, one job is only chaired by one agency; Merging units with overlapping functions and tasks; Reviewing and refining the functions and tasks of units to ensure more effective operations.

In just a short time, Nghe An has completed very specific tasks:

Party agencies: Merge the Propaganda Department with the Mass Mobilization Department into the Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department at both the provincial and district levels. At the same time, end the activities of the Provincial Agencies Party Committee, the Provincial Enterprises Party Committee, along with 8 Party delegations and 3 Party executive committees. Nghe An also pioneered in establishing the Provincial Party Agencies Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee Party Committee, helping to increase connectivity in leadership work.

Government sector: Merge 13 departments and branches into 7 new departments; reduce 1 public service unit under the Provincial People's Committee and 22 internal focal points. District level reduces 49 specialized departments and 48 public service units.

Nghe An Provincial Police is at the forefront of streamlining the apparatus by implementing a 2-level police organization model (provincial and communal levels), no longer at the district level.Some functions and tasks were also transferred from departments and branches to the Provincial Police.to ensure effective state management of security and order.

Major General Bui Quang Thanh - Member of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee, Director of Nghe An Provincial Police Department affirmed: This is a particularly important political task, an order from the Central Public Security Party Committee and the leadership of the Ministry of Public Security. We have focused highly and deployed drastically to ensure the new apparatus operates smoothly from March 1, 2025. Evaluating the results, the inspection team ofThe Ministry of Public Security assessed that Nghe An has implemented well the project to reorganize the apparatus.contributing to improving operational efficiency, ensuring security and order to serve socio-economic development.

Looking back at the first stage of the apparatus streamlining revolution, Nghe An has shown strong determination in completing the organization arrangement in accordance with the Central's direction. Comrade Le Duc Cuong - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee,Head of the Organization Committee of Nghe An Provincial Party Committee affirmed: The province has closely followed the conclusions of the Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Secretariat, summarized Resolution 18, and deployed organizational arrangements to ensure progress and roadmap.

Not stopping there, the Central Committee continued to set higher requirements with two important conclusions:Conclusion No. 126-KL/TWFebruary 14, 2025 andConclusion No. 127-KL/TWFebruary 28, 2025. In particular, Conclusion 127 outlined a specific roadmap, including breakthrough contents such as: Merging a number of provincial-level administrative units, not organizing at the district level, continuing to merge at the commune level, as well as streamlining the apparatus of the Fatherland Front, socio-political organizations and mass organizations.

In response to that urgent request, Nghe An quickly took action. In early March 2025, the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee organized a conference to disseminate information in person and online, connecting from the provincial level to 143 district-level points and 375 commune-level points, attracting 13,527 delegates to attend. The conference not only unified awareness throughout the entire political system but alsocreate high consensus among cadres, party members and people, to synchronously and effectively implement the Party's major policies.

At this important conference, Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Duc Trung emphasized: “The reorganization of the apparatus is just the first step, not yet completed. We must continue to review and perfect the internal structure, in accordance with the spirit of "Refined, compact, strong, efficient, effective, and efficient". The Provincial Party Secretary also affirmed: “In the coming time, we need to focus highly, proactively participate with a ready mindset. Party committees, party organizations, sectors, and localities mustresolutely carry out tasks and continue to perfect the apparatus after the merger., ensuring the machine is not only compact but also powerful".

The revolution to streamline the apparatus has passed the initial stage. Now, the real challenge is to take drastic and synchronous actions so that the apparatus after the restructuring is not only more streamlined but also more effective, as expected by the Party, the State and the people!

In the process of streamlining and streamlining the apparatus, problems are inevitable. It is important not only to identify them promptly, but also to have flexible solutions to ensure that the reform process is not interrupted.

In Nghe An, the organization of party congresses at all levels for the 2025-2030 term is one of the important contents, which is planned to take place from the first quarter to the third quarter of 2025. However, on February 28, 2025, the Politburo issued Conclusion 127-KL/TW, requesting to temporarily suspend party congresses at the commune and district levels to await specific instructions from the Central Government.

Faced with that situation, the Party Committee of Chau Nhan Commune, Hung Nguyen District - the unit selected to organize the model congress in March 2025, proactively suspended the plan as soon as it received the information. Comrade Tran Cong Hoan - Secretary of the Party Committee of Chau Nhan Commune affirmed: "The suspension of the congress does not mean delaying the Party building work, but is to ensure that the congress takes place methodically, effectively, in accordance with the organizational model and scale of the administrative unit to be arranged in the coming time".

The initiative and unity in action are not only demonstrated at the commune level but are also implemented synchronously throughout the province. On March 4, 2025, Nghe An Provincial Party Committee issued a document requesting all localitiesTemporarily suspend the organization of party congresses at commune and district levels, including equivalent party organizations, to await new instructions from the Central Committee. This is a decision of important practical significance, demonstrating flexibility in leadership and direction, aiming to ensure the long-term stability and effectiveness of the political apparatus.

However, pausing does not mean stopping preparation. In the spirit of “running while lining up”, the Party Committee of the Provincial Party Agencies has requested Party organizations to continue researching and contributing ideas to the draft documents of the 14th National Congress of the Party, complete the documents of their congresses and be ready to implement them as soon as new instructions are given.

In addition to the organization of the Party Congress, another issue that has received great attention from the public is the investment in the construction of administrative headquarters. Previously, according to the development orientation of Nghe An province, some districts such as Con Cuong and Do Luong were planned to become urban centers, so many projects to build administrative headquarters have been approved and prepared for implementation.

However, immediately after the Politburo issued Conclusion 126-KL/TW on February 12, 2025, which included the study of eliminating the intermediate administrative level - district level, localities promptly adjusted their plans.Con Cuong district has decided to temporarily suspendThe new administrative center project worth 110 billion VND, at the same time reviewing and stopping investment in a series of other projects such as Chau Khe commune headquarters, district Military Command headquarters, agricultural service center and 4 commune-level health stations.

Do Luong district also made a similar move, suspending the new administrative headquarters project worth VND80 billion, and the district conference center worth VND45 billion, although these projects have completed procedures and are preparing to start construction, pending further instructions.

In order to avoid spreading investment and wasting budget, Nghe An Provincial People's Committee promptly issued an official dispatch from March 3, 2025, requesting all agencies, units and localities subject to the arrangement to temporarily stop renovating and repairing office buildings, purchasing assets and equipment, except in cases of real necessity. At the same time, the province also temporarily stopped the advance payment of capital for basic construction investment for projects using the state budget.

This decision not only helps save resources but also ensures that public investment is carried out scientifically, in accordance with the new organizational model after the reorganization.

Following Directive Document 126-KL/TW dated February 12, 2025, on March 7, 2025, the Politburo continued to issue Conclusion 128-KL/TW, requiring a temporary suspension of recruitment, appointment, and planning of leaders and managers during the period of organizational restructuring. This is a necessary step to minimize the situation of massive appointments before the merger, ensuring stability in the organization.

In order to implement this policy, on March 10, 2025, Nghe An Provincial Party Committee issued a document requesting Party committees, Party organizations, agencies and units to temporarily suspend recruitment, planning, rotation and appointment of cadres. This not only helps to control personnel more closely but also creates conditions for the new apparatus after the arrangement to operate more effectively, avoiding redundant or overlapping tasks.

In the process of implementing organizational restructuring, challenges are inevitable, but with high political determination, consensus of leaders at all levels, cadres, civil servants and close supervision of the people, all problems can be resolved.

The “running and queuing” mindset is not only a flexible approach but also an important key to keeping the reform of the apparatus from going astray. Reorganizing the apparatus is a long-term journey, requiring perseverance, determination and unity in action.

(To be continued)

>> Part 1: Cannot delay