Nghe An monitors and reminds localities that are slow in processing investment licensing applications.

Specifically, according to the Provincial Public Administration Service Center (periodic report from October 15 to November 15), out of a total of 249 newly received applications in November, 141 applications were processed and returned, including 20 applications from the Department of Planning and Investment; 14 applications from the Department of Construction; 31 applications from the Department of Natural Resources and Environment; 32 applications from the Southeast Economic Zone Management Board; 44 applications from the Fire Prevention and Fighting Police Department, Provincial Police; the remaining 108 applications are under processing. In addition to the new investment license applications being processed above, there are 41 applications received from the beginning of the year but not yet processed and returned, so they are considered overdue.

WHA Industrial Park in the Southeast Economic Zone. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Of the 249 newly received applications, 63 were in the planning and investment sector, including 60 applications.investment policy requestand 3 applications for Investment Registration Certificate; the construction sector has 36 applications, including 24 applications for detailed construction planning appraisal at a scale of 1/500 and 12 applications for basic design appraisal; the Natural Resources and Environment sector has 50 applications, including 33 applications for land allocation, land lease, change of land use purpose, issuance of land use right certificates and 17 applications for registration/confirmation of environmental protection plans, appraisal and approval of environmental impact assessment reports; the Southeast Economic Zone Management Board has 51 applications; the Fire Prevention and Fighting sector has 49 applications.

Mr. Nguyen Dinh My - Deputy Director of the Provincial Public Administration Service Center said: After 3 months of trial operation and 11 months of official operation, the process and procedures for receiving, processing and returning investment license application results according to the one-stop model have brought about efficiency. On average, each month, the Center receives 200-250 business administrative procedure files, but because they are entered into the software for monitoring, decentralization and assignment of responsibilities, the departments and branches proactively process them more promptly and on time. There are very few cases of late return of files and if there are any, there must be a reason to explain to citizens and businesses.

In the context of the complicated developments of the Covid-19 epidemic, to ensure safety and disease prevention in the new normal conditions. The Public Administration Service Center and the One-Stop Department of districts and cities have arranged medical staff to measure body temperature and check Covid-19 PC of people coming to transact. Photo: Nguyen Hai

Also according to the Department of Planning and Investment, 41 dossiers received in 2021 but overdue are due to the responsibility of departments, localities or investors. Although the province has urged the above dossiers, because the localities have not yet responded in writing or the investors have not supplemented the procedural dossiers, they cannot be processed and according to regulations must be considered overdue. Of these, 25 dossiers are under the responsibility of the People's Committees of districts, cities and towns.

Based on the review, the Department of Planning and Investment has issued a document identifying 14 dossiers under the responsibility of investors when these cases have been requested by departments and branches to be supplemented but the investors have not responded to report or assigned to the districts but due to the Covid-19 epidemic, the districts have not been able to verify and examine...

VSIP Hung Nguyen Industrial Park infrastructure phase 1 has been completed, so completing procedures soon when investors come to lease land is a priority for the province and investors in the industrial park infrastructure business. Photo: Nguyen Hai

Of the 25 overdue records under the responsibility of the District People's Committee, Nam Dan and Yen Thanh have the most with 06 records, followed by Vinh City with 3 records; districts and towns with 2 records including Hoang Mai, Quy Hop, Quynh Luu; the remaining districts such as Thanh Chuong, Dien Chau, Do Luong, Hung Nguyen each have 1 record.

(Source: Nghe An Department of Planning and Investment)

Besides the above positive results, one of the problems when handling investment administrative procedures under the one-stop model is the long backlog of files that still exists.

Preliminary statistics ofProvincial Public Administration Service Centershows that since 2020, there have been about 70 investment license applications remaining in the system. Although the Provincial Administrative Service Center and the Department of Planning and Investment have sent written reminders, because the locality has not responded and businesses and investors have not responded in writing (to continue pursuing the project or abandon it), it is very difficult to handle.

Citizens wait to have administrative procedures resolved at the One-Stop Department of Vinh City People's Committee. Photo: Nguyen Hai

In another development, in order to reform administration and create conditions for people to invest capital in production and business, and start businesses, the Provincial People's Committee is consulting local departments and branches to amend Decision No. 72/QD-UB of the Provincial People's Committee in 2017 on the procedures for granting investment licenses in Nghe An province with many important amendments.

After many additional comments, the draft is being compiled and revised for final approval in the coming time. Representatives of the provincial Business Associations and entrepreneurs are hoping that this will be a breakthrough in administrative reform and improving the investment environment in 2022./.