Orientation plan to arrange and streamline the Government apparatus

FULL TEXT OF Document No. 141/KH-BCĐTKNQ18

According to the Plan, to reorganize and streamline the Government's apparatus and the internal organization of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and agencies under the Government (reducing at least 15%-20% of internal organizational units (except the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of National Defense, which will be implemented according to the Politburo's decision), excluding organizations subject to consolidation and merger due to overlapping functions and tasks when implementing the plan to merge ministries) on the basis of viewpoints, goals, and principles, ensuring adherence to the requirements of the Central Steering Committee's orientation to reorganize and streamline the apparatus; at the same time, review all activities of the steering committees in the direction of ending their activities, only retaining steering committees with necessary functions and tasks.

Reorganize the apparatus associated with reducing the number of cadres, civil servants, and public employees and restructuring, improving the quality of cadres, civil servants, and public employees, and improving the effectiveness of State management to meet the requirements of tasks in the new situation.

Review the system of legal documents related to the organization of the Government apparatus to propose solutions for handling during the arrangement process; draft regulations on the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and Government agencies.

Orientation of arrangement plan for Party committees and organizations

End the activities of the Government Party Committee, establish a Government Party Committee directly under the Central Government, including Party organizations in ministries, ministerial-level agencies, Government agencies and a number of Party Committees in corporations, general companies, and State-owned commercial banks (except for the Party Committee of the Army and the Party Committee of the Public Security directly under the Central Government, which remain the same as at present); have a specialized advisory and assistance agency located at the Government agency. The Government Party Committee includes: Executive Committee, Standing Committee, Secretary, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee; the Party Committee Standing Committee includes the Prime Minister as Secretary, Deputy Prime Ministers, a number of Government members and can arrange 01 full-time Deputy Secretary; the Politburo appoints the personnel of the Executive Committee and the Party Committee Standing Committee; stipulates that the Party Committee Standing Committee performs the functions and tasks as those of the current Government Party Committee.

Ending the activities of the Party executive committees, establishing Party committees of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and Government agencies directly under the Government Party Committee, including: Executive Committee, Standing Committee, Secretary, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee; the Party Standing Committee includes the Minister as Secretary, Deputy Ministers, Head of the Department of Organization and Personnel, and 01 full-time Deputy Secretary; the competent authority appoints personnel of the Executive Committee, Standing Committee, Secretary, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, and stipulates that the Party Standing Committee performs the functions and tasks of the Party executive committees of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and Government agencies at present.

Orientation of the arrangement plan for ministries and ministerial-level agencies

Maintain 8 Ministries and ministerial-level agencies (with arrangement and streamlining of internal organization)

For the Ministries, including: (1) Ministry of National Defense; (2) Ministry of Public Security; (3) Ministry of Justice; (4) Ministry of Industry and Trade; (5) Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

For ministerial-level agencies, including: (1) Government Office; (2) Government Inspectorate; (3) State Bank of Vietnam.

The proposal to maintain the above ministries and ministerial-level agencies is necessary to ensure stability, inheritance and suitability with current practical requirements.

Orienting the structure, arrangement and consolidation of 14 ministries and ministerial-level agencies

1- Merge the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance. The proposed name of the Ministry after the arrangement isMinistry of Finance and Development Investment or Ministry of Economic Development(perform State management functions in sectors and fields currently assigned to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Planning and Investment).

2- Merge the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Construction. The proposed name of the Ministry after the arrangement isMinistry of Infrastructure Development or Ministry of Transport and Urban and Rural Construction(perform state management functions in sectors and fields currently assigned to the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Construction).

3- Merge the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The proposed name of the Ministry after the arrangement isMinistry of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Environment(performing the State management function on sectors and fields currently assigned to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), overcoming some overlaps in the implementation of management tasks on water resources, river basins and biodiversity.

4- Merge the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Ministry of Science and Technology. The proposed name of the Ministry after the arrangement isMinistry of Science, Technology and Digital Transformation or Ministry of Science, Technology, Digital Transformation and Communications(perform State management functions in sectors and fields currently assigned to the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Ministry of Science and Technology).

5- Merge the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Home AffairssuccessMinistry of Home Affairs and Laborand transfer the State management function of vocational education to the Ministry of Education and Training, transfer the State management function of social protection, children, and prevention of social evils to the Ministry of Health.

6- Ministry of Healthactively coordinate with the Central Organizing Committee in taking over some tasks of the Central Health Care Protection Committee (when this Committee's activities end); at the same time, it is expected to take over State management of: social protection; children; prevention and control of social evils from the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs.

7- Ministry of Foreign Affairsactively coordinate to take over the main tasks of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission and the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee (when the activities of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission and the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee end).

8- Ministry of Home Affairsproactively develop a plan to reorganize the National Academy of Public Administration in the direction of merging it into the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics; at the same time, preside over and coordinate with the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs to develop a project to merge the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs (after transferring some functions to the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Health); coordinate with the Ethnic Committee to transfer the functions and tasks of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs to the Ethnic Committee.

9- Ethnic CommitteeActively coordinate with the Ministry of Home Affairs to develop a plan to receive the Government Committee for Religious Affairs and coordinate with the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs to receive functions and tasks on poverty reduction from the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs.

Orientation for Government agencies and other agencies

1- End of the operation of the State Capital Management Committee at enterprises, transfer the rights and responsibilities of the State owner representative for 19 State corporations and groups currently managed by the State Capital Management Committee at Enterprises to the sector-managing ministries and research the organizational model under the Government.

For the Party Committees of some large corporations such as Vietnam Oil and Gas Group PVN, Vietnam Electricity Group EVN, Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group, Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group, Vietnam Railway Corporation, Vietnam Expressway Corporation, etc., the Party organization is transferred to be directly under the Government Party Committee.

2- End of operation of the National Financial Supervision Commission, transfer the task to the Ministry of Finance and Development Investment or the Ministry of Economic Development, the State Bank of Vietnam and relevant agencies.

To implement this plan, it is expected that the Committee's tasks will be transferred to the Ministry of Finance and Development Investment or the Ministry of Economic Development, the State Bank of Vietnam to perform the task of general coordination and supervision of the financial market (including: securities, insurance, banking). In the context that specialized laws are assigning responsibilities to ministries and branches to perform specialized supervision functions (the Ministry of Finance supervises the securities and insurance markets; the State Bank of Vietnam supervises banking activities), it is necessary to establish an inter-branch coordination organization headed by the Government Leader to direct general coordination and supervision of the financial market.

3- Arrange 2 Academies of Sciences and 2 National Universities, ensuring efficiency and promoting research and training tasks

- For the 2 Academies:Option 1:Merge the Academy of Social Sciences with the Academy of Science and Technology to form the Vietnam Academy of Science;Option 2:Maintain 2 Academies but streamline the organization and staffing, ensuring improved quality and efficiency of operations, meeting the requirements of the Vietnam Science and Technology Development Strategy.

- For the two National Universities (Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City), it is proposed to transfer Hanoi National University and Ho Chi Minh City National University to the Ministry of Education and Training for management.

4- End of operations of People's Television, National Assembly Television, News Agency Television, VOV Television, VTC Television, transfer related functions and tasks to Vietnam Television and develop a restructuring project for Vietnam Television, ensuring good performance of the tasks of the national television station, with appropriate specialized channels.

5- Vietnam News Agency, Voice of VietnamCarry out the arrangement, streamlining, and drastic reduction of internal organizational units and staff; focus on building the Vietnam News Agency as a national news agency, the Voice of Vietnam as a national radio station, focusing on print, electronic, and spoken newspapers (VOV) to carry out political tasks, with the State budget ensuring regular expenditure for activities.

6- Transferring the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Management Board into the organizational structure of the Ministry of National Defense

7- Structure of Vietnam Social Securityto the Ministry of Finance and Development Investment or the Ministry of Economic Development.

Merging Vietnam Social Security into the Ministry of Finance and Development Investment or the Ministry of Economic Development (reorganizing into 01 independent agency under the Ministry of Finance and Development Investment or the Ministry of Economic Development). Implementing this plan will basically still create conditions for Vietnam Social Security to perform its current independent functions and tasks; at the same time, create favorable conditions for the Insurance Management Council (currently chaired by the Minister of Finance) to effectively direct the management of the Social Insurance Fund, unemployment insurance, and health insurance (reducing the number of agencies under the Government to 01 agency).

Plan to arrange organizations within ministries and ministerial-level agencies

For the tdriveng and tdriveequivalent position to a general department

Ministries and ministerial-level agencies are requested to develop plans for rearrangement and reorganization, ensuring streamlining, and basically not maintaining the general department model under the Ministry. In case it is necessary to maintain the general department model, ministries and ministerial-level agencies are requested to report to the Government Steering Committee to seek the opinion of the Central Steering Committee for consideration and direction.

For the departments and agencies,public service unit

-For units with general advisory functions: It is recommended that each Ministry maintain only 01 organizational focal point corresponding to the following areas: (1) Personnel organization, (2) Legal affairs, (3) International cooperation, (4) Office, (5) Financial planning, (6) Inspection.

-For the Departments and Divisions performing advisory functions and organizing the implementation of specialized State management tasks:

It is recommended to review, arrange and consolidate these organizations in a streamlined manner, in accordance with the requirements of State management for sectors and fields, maintaining only departments and bureaus with specialized management objects, ensuring that they meet the criteria and conditions prescribed by the Government.

For departments and bureaus with the task of connecting and connecting, it is recommended to arrange and consolidate these departments and bureaus into one focal point.

Minimize the transfer of cases into departments, except in cases where it is necessary to promote decentralization of handling authority according to the State management function of the Ministry.

- For public service units: Propose to arrange and consolidate public service units according to the requirements of Resolution 19-NQ/TW dated October 25, 2017 of the 6th Central Conference, Session XII, the Central Steering Committee on summarizing the implementation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW, the Steering Committee on summarizing the implementation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW, regulations of the Government, directions of the Prime Minister, including:

1- For ministries and ministerial-level agencies

- For public service units within the organizational structure: Only maintain a maximum of 05 public service units performing the function of serving State management within the organizational structure of the Ministry, branch (including: Institutes; magazines; newspapers; information centers; schools for training and fostering cadres, civil servants and public employees); at the same time, arrange the internal organization of public service units, ensuring streamlining and meeting the criteria for establishing organizations according to regulations, including:

+ Institute: Propose to arrange and reorganize in the direction of reducing the focal point on the basis of implementing the principle of one public service unit providing many public service services of the same type according to the requirements of Resolution No. 19-NQ/TW and in accordance with the network planning of public science and technology organizations.

+ Newspapers and Magazines: Ministries and ministerial-level agencies are requested to implement plans to arrange these units, ensuring that each ministry and ministerial-level agency has only one press agency.(In the process of rearranging the Ministries, in case there are 02 or more newspapers that are self-sufficient in regular expenditure, the immediate plan will be maintained and the arrangement roadmap will be implemented in accordance with the planning of the press agency network according to the decision of the competent authority) (including: printed newspapers, electronic newspapers and electronic information portals of the Ministry, branch) and 01 specialized scientific journal (only maintained for prestigious scientific journals in the world and in the country).

- For public service units outside the organizational structure:

+ Only retain units under ministries and branches serving political tasks and leading units associated with the functions and tasks of ministries and branches that fully meet the criteria and conditions for establishment according to regulations, in accordance with the planning of the network of public service units by industry and field; convert into joint stock companies when fully meeting the conditions prescribed by law. At the same time, review and arrange the internal organization of public service units, ensuring that they meet the criteria for establishing organizations according to the Government's regulations and the requirements for streamlining the organizational apparatus.

+ Vocational education institutions (colleges, intermediate schools): Implement the arrangement according to Decision No. 73/QD-TTg dated February 10, 2023 of the Prime Minister approving the planning of the vocational education institution network for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2045, including 04 levels: national, regional, industry, provincial, ensuring that by the end of 2025, vocational education institutions will self-insure regular expenses.

+ Academies, universities, and colleges: By 2025, it is recommended to self-insure regular expenditures, while reviewing and arranging according to the network planning of educational and training institutions associated with improving the level of financial autonomy in accordance with the roadmap for calculating full prices for public career services by industry and field.

+ For hospitals: Only retain hospitals under the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security; a few leading specialized hospitals, and hospitals of universities; By the end of 2025, medical examination and treatment facilities (except those operating in the field of specialized medical examination and treatment) will be public service units that are self-sufficient in regular expenditure or higher.

+ For public service units under offices, departments under ministries, and departments under general departments under ministries: Propose to rearrange public service units providing basic and essential public service services related to the sectors and fields under management; ensure streamlining, effective and efficient operations; other public service units must self-insure regular expenditures or more.

+ For the remaining public service units: Require to improve the effectiveness, efficiency of operations and level of financial autonomy. Develop a plan for financial autonomy and convert into a joint stock company when meeting all conditions as prescribed by law.

2- For Government agencies: Propose to reorganize and rearrange public service units under management in the direction of streamlining, effective and efficient operations, ensuring the principle that one public service unit can provide many public service services of the same type in order to significantly reduce focal points, overcome overlaps, dispersion, and duplication of functions and tasks.

Preliminary impact assessment

Document No. 141/KH-BCĐTKNQ18 clearly states: According to the direction of the Central Steering Committee, on the basis of implementing the above plan, the organizational structure of the Government for the 15th and 16th terms (term 2026-2031) is streamlined as follows:

Have13 Set,04ministerial-level agencies (reduction)05Set);

Have04government agencies (reduction)04government agency).

Internal organization: Continue to reorganize and streamline focal points, drastically reduce the number of general departments, bureaus, divisions, and public service units under the Ministry, and the number of departments, divisions, and public service units under general departments.

After streamlining the focal points and adjusting the functions and State management tasks of ministries and ministerial-level agencies, the current overlapping problems will be basically overcome.

Implementation progress

According to the Plan of the Central Steering Committee, ministries and branches are responsible for developing a Summary Report and sending it to the Central Steering Committee.before December 31, 2024(including the Report of the Government Party Committee).

To ensure the progress of the preparation of the Report of the Government Party Committee, the Ministry of Home Affairs proposes to the Prime Minister to direct the Ministries and branches to complete the Report and send it to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Government Office.before December 15, 2024.

The Ministry of Home Affairs proactively develops the Report of the Government Party Committee based on the 5-year summary report on the implementation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW and updates the results of 7 years of implementing Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW (as of September 30, 2024). After receiving reports from ministries and branches, the Ministry of Home Affairs will synthesize, review and complete the Report.Submit to the Government Party Committee on December 25, 2024 to send to the Central Steering Committee on December 31, 2024.