Online public service portal: A new step forward for Nghe An

(Baonghean) - The implementation of the province's online public service portal aims to facilitate individuals and organizations that need to resolve administrative procedures quickly, conveniently, and consistently in the spirit of 'one-stop shop' via the internet.

The application of information technology (IT) in the operations of state agencies and authorities towards e-Government is a popular model in many countries and an inevitable trend in Vietnam. In recent times, state agencies have made efforts to apply IT in management and administration towards improving the efficiency of state administration, enhancing transparency, reducing government spending, and at the same time bringing convenience and benefits to people's lives, initially achieving important results.

People transact at the one-stop shop of Quang Trung ward (Vinh city). Photo: Thanh Le

Since 2014, Nghe An province has approved the roadmap for providing online public services of state agencies in the province for the period 2014 - 2018 according to the e-Government Development Project No. 3188. Next, implementing Resolution No. 36a/NQ-CP dated October 14, 2015 of the Government on e-Government and decisions on promoting the application of IT in the operations of state agencies, Nghe An Provincial People's Committee has resolutely directed and synchronously deployed solutions and action programs such as: Issuing directive documents including Directive No. 25 on promoting the application of online public services in state agencies; Issuing a Plan to provide online public services at levels 3 and 4 in 2016; Signing cooperation agreements with reputable telecommunications - information technology service providers such as VNPT, FPT; Issue Plan No. 102 on Providing online public services at levels 3 and 4 in 2016 of state agencies in Nghe An province; issue Plan 494 and Official Dispatch No. 5959 on deploying a one-stop software system to serve the management of the one-stop mechanism and the online public service portal for Nghe An province...; directly direct departments, branches, sectors and localities to develop a roadmap and promptly and effectively deploy one-stop electronic transactions to facilitate people and businesses when participating...

This is considered an effective solution towards the goal of building a seamless electronic system, connecting and communicating electronic documents and electronic data from the province to the grassroots level; creating an electronic environment for people to monitor and contribute to the activities of governments at all levels; establishing a provincial public service portal connecting national public services; applying information technology closely linked with administrative reform, enhancing competitiveness, improving the business environment; implementing information technology applications combined with the ISO quality management system; improving the quality of telecommunications infrastructure, ensuring transmission quality, ensuring information security...

To implement the goals set out in the administrative reform associated with enhancing the application of IT in management and provision of online public services, the province has carefully studied the solutions of IT telecommunications enterprises, organized field trips to a number of localities to deploy online public services early nationwide, especially the one-stop electronic software system.

Through learning from other provinces as well as carefully considering the conditions and goals, the Provincial People's Committee has agreed to choose the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group - the unit that has successfully applied and deployed the solution for 23 localities nationwide to provide and deploy an interconnected electronic one-stop software system to serve the management of the one-stop mechanism and online public service portal for the province.

The VNPT-IGate system is deployed on a cloud computing system, on a web technology platform and is built according to the 3-layer MVC model. The system allows citizens and businesses to communicate with the government 24/7, anywhere with an internet connection.

Transactions during the process of processing records and providing services are carried out online. Payment of fees and receipt of results are made directly at the agency or organization providing the service. Thus, citizens and organizations only have to come once to pay fees (if any) and receive results directly at the "one-stop" department of the agency or unit.

Officials and civil servants processing documents can use SMS or email functions to notify citizens and businesses submitting documents about the processing status of their documents in which department or office easily and quickly.

Up to now, VNPT Nghe An has coordinated with the Electronic Information Portal - Department of Information and Communications to set up the system at: http://dichvucong.nghean.gov.vn. Coordinated with administrative agencies to survey and establish the ability to provide public administrative services on the system for 4,497 public services, including 3,783 level 2 procedures; 744 level 3 procedures and 9 level 4 procedures.

At the same time, coordinate with public service providers to develop and establish detailed procedures for 753 level 3 and level 4 public services (reaching 100%); exceeding the province's Plan 102. Organize training for departments, branches, sectors, district, town, city People's Committees and communes and wards before December 25, 2016.

Along with that, the VNPT - IGate electronic one-stop system has been tested since December 26, 2016 and is ready to be put into use. The total number of records received on the system is more than 4,000 records. The number of records resolved: 2,399 records (accounting for 60%). VNPT has also built a solution ready to transfer all data from the current system to VNPT- IGate to ensure accuracy and security for units that have used other software before.

Transaction on granting Land Use Right Certificate at one-stop department in Vinh City. Photo: Document

In addition to the synchronous deployment of the VNPT- IGate electronic one-stop software system, in 2016, many agencies and units in the province have made many efforts and achieved remarkable results in applying IT to their sectors. Not only creating an impression in performing professional and political tasks; this also creates a different value in improving the province's readiness index for developing IT applications up to the present time and in the following years. This is also the basis and leverage for sectors, units and localities in the whole province to deploy the electronic one-stop and online public service portal effectively and proactively.

For example, the Tax sector is one of the pioneers in applying IT with the number of online tax declarations being among the top in the country, with hundreds of thousands of registrations. Implementing electronic tax payment not only helps businesses and people save costs and time but also contributes to simplifying paperwork when performing tax obligations, helping the Tax sector increase the efficiency of tax management, process tax payment information quickly and accurately, and diversify state budget collection channels.

Or, the Health sector, implementing the Project of applying IT in medical examination and treatment and payment of health insurance also brought about very positive results. The Health sector has coordinated with VNPT Nghe An to successfully implement the Project at 458 medical facilities, including 2 provincial facilities, 9 district facilities and 442 commune-level medical facilities, accounting for over 90% of the total number of medical facilities in the province. Thanks to that, the work of medical examination and treatment at the grassroots level has been more timely, creating high consensus and response among the public.

In the field of education, as of December 31, 2016, VNPT has deployed the VnEdu education management program to 1,409/1,491 schools in Nghe An with 80,000 users of electronic contact books, reaching 95% of schools in the area applying IT in school management, meeting the requirements of computerization in management for the Nghe An Education sector...

The official launch of Nghe An Province's Online Public Service Portal is a great effort to realize the Government's policy on building e-Government in particular and innovating the State apparatus in general.

Just by connecting to the internet, businesses can register their business registration documents online. Photo: Document

However, creating the Online Public Service Portal and putting it into operation is just the first step, the road ahead is much more difficult and complicated, requiring us not only to pursue the development of new technology or only focus on investing in developing information infrastructure, but also to reform the state apparatus, optimize operational processes, expand the provision of information and diverse administrative services, in a friendly manner to people and businesses. This is also the desire of the province as well as the challenge for the province and relevant agencies in the coming time.

Deploying online public services is one of the important tasks in the process of implementing the roadmap for administrative procedure reform and developing e-Government in Vietnam. In that general trend, the official operation of the province's online public service portal has and will contribute to meeting practical needs and serving people and businesses better. This is also the driving force, demonstrating the determination of the Party Committee and the government in implementing Resolution 26 of the Politburo on building Vinh city into an information technology center of the North Central region.

Le Ngoc Hoa

Vice Chairman of Provincial People's Committee