Reduce the number of focal points, fragmentation and duplication of the apparatus

PV:After more than 1 year of implementing the organization and streamlining of staff, what are the specific results in Quynh Luu, comrade?

Comrade Kieu Van Thanh:Quynh Luu has actively and proactively implemented the above work, in accordance with the direction of all levels.

In June 2018, the district organized the announcement of the decision to implement the policy that the Head of the Propaganda Department is also the Director of the District Political Training Center. The Provincial People's Committee also issued a Decision agreeing on the policy of merging the Center for Culture - Information - Sports and Radio - Television Station into the District Center for Culture, Sports and Communications; the district will soon organize the merger.

The Quynh Luu Radio - Television Station and the Quynh Luu Culture - Information and Sports Center will merge into the District Culture - Sports and Communications Center. Photo: TD

The District People's Committee is developing a plan to dissolve the Health Department, transfer the State management function to the Department of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs, merge the Department of Justice and the Office of the District People's Council - People's Committee. Quynh Luu has completed the approval of the Project on autonomy in terms of apparatus, staffing and finance of the District Capital Construction Investment Project Management Board; the Project on job positions of the Department of Education and Training; completed the arrangement of the use of a common office for both the Party Committee and the People's Council - People's Committee at the commune level.

Through the appraisal of the Project on restructuring the organizational apparatus of commune-level units, there are 4 units, Quynh Doi, Quynh Hong, Tien Thuy, Quynh My, developing a plan for the Party Secretary to be the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level. The District Party Committee's Organization Board is consulting to submit to the District Party Committee's Standing Committee for decision. In December 2018, in conjunction with the consolidation and addition of the position of Permanent Deputy Secretary of the District Party Committee, the District Party Committee's Standing Committee also reduced the number of Vice Chairman of the District People's Council by 1.

Handling administrative procedures at the one-stop shop of Quynh Hung commune (Quynh Luu). Photo: Thanh Le

PV:Can you tell us more about the review and merger of communes, villages and hamlets associated with restructuring the staff?

Comrade Kieu Van Thanh:According to the Resolution of the National Assembly Standing Committee, the population of the delta commune is 8,000 people, the area is 30 km2.²; mountainous area is 5,000 people, area 50 km². Comparing this criterion, Quynh Luu has 10 communes that do not meet the population criteria; 32 communes and towns do not meet the area criteria, of which 25 units have an area below 50% of the regulation.

In the entire Quynh Luu district, only Tan Thang commune meets both criteria on area and population according to regulations.

Comrade Kieu Van Thanh -
Head of the Organization Committee of Quynh Luu District Party Committee

The district has 406 blocks, hamlets, and villages. The communes and towns have developed a merger plan and plan to reduce 154 hamlets to 252 hamlets in accordance with the provisions of Circular 09/2017/TT - BNV of the Ministry of Home Affairs. However, in December 2018, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued Circular 14/2018/TT-BNV amending and supplementing a number of articles related to the organization of activities of hamlets and residential groups, accordingly, the number of households in hamlets and villages is reduced compared to the provisions of Circular 09/2017, so we are having the communes review it accordingly.

A corner of Quynh Lap commune, Quynh Luu district. Photo: Document

Regarding commune mergers, the district is still waiting for instructions and roadmaps from the Central and the province; as for village and hamlet mergers, the general spirit is to basically carry out the merger in 2019. Along with that, Quynh Luu is reviewing to reduce the number of cadres and civil servants in communes and towns by at least 2 people/unit, by 2021, reducing at least 12 cadres and 54 civil servants; at the same time, arranging concurrent positions to reduce the number of non-professional workers below the level prescribed by the Central, it is expected that in communes, there will be a total reduction of 159 people, in villages and hamlets, there will be a reduction of 1,200 people.

Some contents that Quynh Luu district is piloting: Head of the District Party Committee's Mass Mobilization Board is also Chairman of the District Fatherland Front Committee; Head of the District Party Committee's Organization Board is also Head of the District-level Internal Affairs Department; Head of the District Party Committee's Inspection Board is also the District-level Chief Inspector.

Comrade Kieu Van Thanh -
Head of the Organization Committee of Quynh Luu District Party Committee

PV:One issue that the public is very interested in is the work of reviewing and arranging schools. What is the specific implementation situation in Quynh Luu, comrade?

Comrade Kieu Van Thanh:The Standing Committee of Quynh Luu District Party Committee has directed to conduct surveys and research to merge small-scale schools that are no longer suitable; establish junior high schools - an inter-level school model - on the basis of merging junior high schools and primary schools in some communes with small-scale schools at all levels associated with each specific stage.

A class at Quynh Tan Secondary School (Quynh Luu, Nghe An). Photo: Archive

Accordingly, by July 2019, 6 units will be reduced based on the merger of the following schools: Quynh My Primary School and Quynh My Secondary School into Quynh My Secondary School; Quynh Tho Primary School and Quynh Tho Secondary School into Quynh Tho Secondary School; Quynh Thuan Primary School and Quynh Thuan Secondary School into Quynh Thuan Secondary School; Quynh Thang A Primary School and Quynh Thang B Primary School into Quynh Thang Primary School; Quynh Minh Primary School and Minh - Luong Secondary School into Quynh Minh Secondary School; Quynh Luong Primary School and Minh - Luong Secondary School into Quynh Luong Secondary School (the merger of schools in the two communes of Quynh Minh and Quynh Luong was carried out after separating Minh - Luong Secondary School into Quynh Minh Secondary School and Quynh Luong Secondary School); Quynh Ngoc Primary School and Ba - Ngoc Secondary School into Quynh Ngoc Secondary School; Quynh Ba Primary School and Ba - Ngoc Secondary School into Quynh Ba Secondary School (the merger of schools in the two communes of Quynh Ngoc and Quynh Ba was carried out after separating Ba - Ngoc Secondary School into Quynh Ba Secondary School and Quynh Ngoc Secondary School).

In the 2020 - 2021 period, Quynh Luu will also reduce 5 more schools based on the merger model of establishing secondary schools in the communes: Quynh Thach, Ngoc Son, Quynh Hau, Quynh Tam, Quynh Long. Thus, upon completion, Quynh Luu will only have 89 schools compared to 100 in 2015. Quynh Luu will also reasonably arrange staff for the case block in the direction of: inter-school accounting (primary and secondary schools); the position of secretary and treasurer, equipment; medical staff belongs to the Commune Health Station.

PV:From the practical implementation in the locality, what recommendations does Quynh Luu have, comrade?

Comrade Kieu Van Thanh:To facilitate the implementation process, Quynh Luu proposed that the province soon study, amend and supplement Resolution No. 117/2013 dated December 13, 2013 of the Provincial People's Council on the number, titles and allowances for non-professional workers in communes, towns and hamlets, blocks and villages; issue framework regulations on the number of non-professional workers in communes, blocks and villages appropriately, and at the same time have a mechanism to encourage cadres, civil servants and non-professional cadres to concurrently hold non-professional titles in communes, villages and blocks.

Officials of Quynh Dien commune (Quynh Luu) encourage people to open rural roads. Photo: Archive

In particular, it is recommended to study policies and balance and arrange funding sources to implement the settlement of current regimes and policies for subjects in the streamlining of staff when implementing; have a plan to direct, arrange and re-arrange the staff of the Quynh Luu Youth Volunteer Team - Economic Construction after the dissolution; direct the unification of the merger of the Bac Nghe An Economic - Technical College and the District Continuing Education Center (it is necessary to unify the adjustment of functions and tasks accordingly after the merger).

PV:Thanks comrade!