'Need to arrange budget to increase basic salary in 2023'

"This needs to be calculated in 2023 because, after all, it is also an investment and development expense, contributing to stimulating demand," said National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue at the morning meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on June 4. The meeting gave opinions on the plan to use increased revenue, saved expenditures and remaining funds of the central budget in 2021.

According to Mr. Hue, at the National Assembly's discussion sessions on the socio-economic situation, many delegates proposed the above. Previously, salary increases were made annually, but in the past 3 years, they have not been implemented due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, the lives of officials, civil servants and public employees have faced many difficulties.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue. Photo:Quochoi.vn

The most recent adjustment to the basic salary increase applied to cadres, civil servants and public employees was from July 1, 2019, increasing from 1.39 million VND to 1.49 million VND. Accordingly, civil servants with university degrees who have just started working (receiving salary level 1 with coefficient 2.34) will receive a salary of 3,486,600 VND.

According to Resolution 27 of 2018 of the Central Committee, the reform of salary policy for cadres, civil servants, public employees, and armed forces was expected to be implemented in July 2021. However, in the context of the prolonged pandemic, this policy has been repeatedly postponed. In November 2021, the National Assembly agreed to postpone the time of salary policy reform; at the same time, it did not increase salaries for low-income people and those who had just started working in 2022; priority was given to adjusting pensions for those who retired before 1995.

However, salary reform is a "major, breakthrough policy", so the National Assembly Standing Committee recommends that the Government urgently develop plans, prepare resources, and soon submit to the National Assembly a decision on salary policy reform at the appropriate time.

The basic salary is applied to cadres, civil servants, public employees, salary and allowance recipients and employees working in agencies, organizations, public service units of the Party, the State, socio-political organizations... receiving State budget support for operating expenses at the central level, at the provincial, district, commune levels, special administrative-economic units and the armed forces. The basic salary is also used as a basis for adjusting pensions.

This salary does not apply to employees in enterprises. The salary of this group is calculated based on the regional minimum wage.