Nghe An: Efforts to reform administration, increase advantages to attract investment

Determining administrative reform as one of the key tasks in the 2020 - 2025 term, Nghe An province has had many innovations in management and operation since the beginning of the term, demonstrating its determination to make breakthroughs in this work. Thereby, contributing to building a modern, professional and effective administration, making the province increasingly become an attractive destination for investors.

Bright spots

As an advisory body, assisting the People's Committee of Nghe An province in managing investment and construction in the Southeast Economic Zone and industrial parks in the area, to create an open and equal investment environment, the Management Board of the Southeast Nghe An Economic Zone has promoted the simplification of administrative procedures, strongly applied digital technology to documents; increased the receipt of documents via postal services, and implemented online public services at levels 3 and 4. At the same time, shortened the time for collecting opinions at localities in the process of resolving locations to approve investment policies for projects.

Central working delegation, Nghe An province surveyed the planning perspective at VSIP Nghe An Industrial Park.

During the process of processing documents, investors are given specific instructions by the Southeast Economic Zone Management Board, creating conditions for investors to not have to wait too long, administrative procedures are resolved quickly and conveniently. Investors are very assured because all information is public, transparent and resolved quickly, and authorities at all levels create favorable conditions for enterprises to exercise their business rights as soon as possible.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich Lien - General Director of WHA Industrial Zone Nghe An Joint Stock Company

With the government's goal of "Accompanying - Supporting - Connecting - Interacting" with the business community, Nghe An province recently announcedbusiness support applicationson smartphones. This is a new way, considered one of the important and effective tools, accompanying the development of businesses in the area. Accordingly, the application to support businesses in Nghe An province is developed on iOS and Android platforms, so it is very convenient to download and install on smartphones using the two popular operating systems above. This is an online connection and interaction platform between businesses and the government, allowing businesses to propose and request government agencies directly and quickly; creating connection channels with investors in various fields.

Provincial leaders and the Provincial Business Association performed the ceremony to announce the Nghe An Province Business Support Application. Photo: Thanh Duy

To monitor the progress of investment projects in the area, based on the request of the Department of Planning and Investment, on August 20, 2022, the People's Committee of Nghe An province issued Document No. 6362/UBND-CN to provincial departments, branches, People's Committees of districts, cities, towns and related units to deploy the development of software to manage and monitor the progress of investment projects.

Director of the Department of Planning and Investment Nguyen Xuan Duc shared: “Up to now, departments, branches and localities have updated data on the software. Using the software helps to monitor and grasp information related to all projects and the status of project activities in the area. Through this software, provincial leaders as well as levels, branches and districts know the specific status of each project implemented in the area for control. At the same time, based on the results of updating data on the software of the units, the Provincial People's Committee will include it in the assessment of the administrative reform index of localities and units”.

Determining administrative procedure reform is one of the prerequisites to improve the investment and business environment and increaseattracting investment, creating the most favorable conditions for organizations and individuals in the province in handling administrative procedures, the leaders of the Provincial People's Committee resolutely directed branches and levels to focus on reviewing and continuing to advise the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee to issue a Decision to announce the list of administrative procedures, approve electronic procedures, internal procedures in handling administrative procedures; direct agencies and units to review and simplify dossier components, reduce processing time, and increase the processing of dossiers on the Provincial Administrative Procedure Information System.

Officials of Quynh Thien ward (Hoang Mai town) handle administrative procedures for people. Photo: Thanh Le

Modernizing the administration

Administrative reform is identified as one of the breakthroughs; a key and important task in removing bottlenecks, creating momentum for development. Therefore, Nghe An is implementing many solutions to promote this work. After the Provincial Party Committee issued Resolution No. 05/NQ/TU on promoting administrative reform in the province, period 2021-2030, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 5158/QD-UBND promulgating the Provincial Administrative Reform Program for the period 2021-2030, to demonstrate the province's determination in "clearing" "bottlenecks" in administrative reform work. The goal by 2025 is to strive for the administrative reform indexes, public administration efficiency, and provincial competitiveness to be in the top 15; the readiness index for development and application of information technology to be in the top 10 provinces and cities nationwide.

In line with the implementation of that goal, at the regular monthly meetings of the Provincial People's Committee, Comrade Nguyen Duc Trung - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee regularly directs, disseminates and sets out requirements for sectors and localities on strengthening State management, promoting administrative reform; at the same time, well implementing the application of information technology to improve the effectiveness of direction, administration and handling, resolving work, ensuring the right motto of "fast, correct, effective", transforming "explanation, explanation to solution, resolution". Implementing the direction of the provincial leaders, in 2022, units and localities in the province will focus on digital transformation and strengthening discipline,administrative discipline, improve the public ethics of cadres, civil servants and public employees in performing public duties.

Checking the settlement of administrative procedures at the Department of Planning and Investment. Photo: Thanh Le

Director of the Department of Home Affairs, Mr. Nguyen Viet Hung, assessed: In 2021, Nghe An's Administrative Reform Index (PAR Index) ranked 17/63 provinces and cities, up 1 place compared to 2020; People's and Organizations' Satisfaction Index for Services of State Administrative Agencies (SIPASP) ranked 35/63 provinces and cities, up 13 places compared to 2020; Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index in Vietnam (PAPI) ranked 15/63 provinces and cities. These results demonstrate the high determination of Party committees and authorities from the province to the grassroots level; of departments, branches, localities and units. This is also an important driving force to build a professional and modern administration, shifting from "management" to "service", which is the goal that State administrative agencies aim for to make Nghe An an attractive destination for domestic and foreign investors.