Combating waste begins with streamlining the system.
Merging and streamlining the administrative apparatus is not only a reform requirement, but also a strategic solution to realize the spirit of "building a culture of thrift and combating waste" that General Secretary To Lam highlighted in his article "Combating Waste".
Duc ChuyenMay 15, 2025
Merging and streamlining the administrative apparatus is not only a reform requirement, but also a strategic solution to realize the spirit of "building a culture of thrift and combating waste" that General Secretary To Lam highlighted in his article "Combating Waste." With hundreds of trillions of dong in budget that could be saved each year, merging and streamlining from the central to local levels is an inevitable step in the era of national governance modernization.
In the article “Combating waste"General Secretary To Lam emphasized: 'To seize opportunities, overcome challenges, significantly increase resources to care for the people, enrich the country in the new revolutionary period, and build a better future, the fight against waste needs to be implemented decisively and synchronously with effective solutions, creating a strong ripple effect, becoming voluntary and conscious of each cadre, Party member, and citizen, and a culture of conduct in the new era.' This spirit is not just a call to action but is concretized through decisive directives, especially in reforming the organization and administrative apparatus."
One of the key measures currently being implemented is the merger of administrative units to streamline the apparatus, improve operational efficiency, save budget resources, and reduce the problem of cumbersome and overlapping functions. Statistics from the Ministry of Interior show that, during the period 2019-2021, the whole country reorganized 21 district-level administrative units and 1,056 commune-level administrative units. This resulted in savings of approximately 10,000 billion VND in the budget each year.
Furthermore, the entire country is currently implementing administrative unit restructuring and building a two-tiered local government organizational model. Accordingly, after the mergers, it is expected that the number of provinces and cities nationwide will decrease from 63 to 34; more than 260 agencies and units under provincial-level Party committees will be eliminated; 694 districts and more than 4,160 agencies and units under district-level Party committees will be dissolved; and the number of commune-level administrative units will decrease from 10,035 to approximately 3,320...
Estimates from several research agencies suggest that implementing this merger could save approximately 262.5 trillion VND per year, primarily through staff reductions, decreased recurrent expenditures, and reduced redundant infrastructure and administrative investments.
These are impressive figures, demonstrating that the policy of streamlining the administrative apparatus is not only strategic but also yields tangible economic benefits, contributing to reducing pressure on the national budget in the long term. In particular, it is a concrete manifestation of the "anti-waste" spirit that General Secretary To Lam has emphasized.
Building a culture of saving,combating wasteIn the new era, it cannot remain merely a slogan. It must be a consistent and overarching requirement in management and administration – institutionalized into specific principles and procedures in the operations of each agency, organization, and individual, especially cadres and Party members, particularly those in leadership positions. This issue was emphasized by General Secretary To Lam in his article "Combating Waste," where he clearly stated: "Saving and combating waste must be clearly demonstrated through commitments and plans, with leadership, specific targets, and carried out regularly and thoroughly. Practical campaigns and emulation movements on practicing saving and combating waste must be developed and implemented, creating a vibrant and widespread atmosphere of competition throughout the Party, the people, and the armed forces."
In particular, the General Secretary warned that: "Waste also erodes people's trust in the Party and the State, creates invisible barriers to socio-economic development, and misses opportunities for national development." Because if we do not effectively control waste, from materials and finances to human resources, the public administration itself will become a bottleneck for development, rather than a driving force. Therefore, building a streamlined, transparent, and efficient administration not only helps minimize waste but also contributes to unlocking resources, improving the efficiency of serving the people, and enhancing the investment and business environment, thereby creating a solid foundation for rapid and sustainable development.
Experience from several countries shows that restructuring the administrative apparatus, merging similar functional agencies, and streamlining personnel are common trends to adapt to the requirements of sustainable development. Vietnam is also following this direction, with strong political will and a clear vision for reform.
Along with the rest of the country, Nghe An is one of the leading localities in streamlining its administrative apparatus. During the period 2017-2024, Nghe An reduced one district-level administrative unit, from 21 to 20; reduced 68 commune-level administrative units, from 480 to 412; and simultaneously implemented a strong digitalization of the public administration system, strengthened administrative procedure reform, and reduced staffing levels.
According to the Nghe An Department of Internal Affairs, the merger and streamlining have helped the locality save hundreds of billions of dong in budget each year from recurrent expenditures, salaries, allowances, and infrastructure operation. More importantly, the administrative apparatus has been streamlined, reducing intermediate levels, shortening the time for processing administrative procedures, and improving the level of satisfaction of the people.
Following that success, Nghe An province is currently completing the review and merger of commune-level administrative units, reducing the number from 412 to 130 (approximately 1,391 district-level officials are expected to be assigned to the new communes. The number of surplus district and commune-level officials and employees after the commune merger and the abolition of the district level is 3,530, which is expected to be resolved within 5 years).
The lesson learned is: With decisive leadership from the Party committee and government, along with consensus within the political system, mergers and streamlining are not only feasible but can also create a new impetus for local development.
It is evident that the merger and streamlining of the administrative apparatus from the central to local levels is not merely a technical solution, but a strategic step demonstrating high political determination in implementing General Secretary To Lam's directive on preventing and combating waste. This is a concrete action to create an administration that serves effectively, efficiently, and is close to the people.
In the context of ongoing international integration and digital transformation, building a culture of frugality and combating waste is not only a requirement for modern national governance, but also a manifestation of a civilized and responsible state. Every official, Party member, and every agency and organization must be a proactive link in that system, demonstrating the spirit of "combating waste" through concrete and practical actions.
We are facing a historic opportunity to usher the country into an era of strong development, realizing the nation's aspiration for prosperity. To seize this opportunity and overcome challenges, we need to implement a comprehensive set of strategic solutions to mobilize and effectively utilize all resources to serve the people and develop the country.
In this context, preventing and combating waste is not only an urgent requirement but must become a cornerstone in the process of reforming the political system and national governance. It is necessary to decisively promote the restructuring and streamlining of the apparatus, reduce staffing levels, and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of public agencies, while simultaneously building a team of honest, dedicated officials who serve the nation and the people!
