Nghe An identifies digital transformation as a breakthrough solution in administrative reform

On the morning of November 18, continuing the regular October meeting program, the Standing Committee of Nghe An Provincial Party Committee gave opinions on the draft Resolution of the Provincial Party Executive Committee on promoting administrative reform (AR) in the province for the period 2021 - 2030.

Comrade Thai Thanh Quy - Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council chaired the meeting.

Also attending were comrade Nguyen Van Thong - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, comrades representing a number of Central Party Committees, comrades of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and leaders of a number of relevant departments, branches and sectors.

Overview of the meeting. Photo: Thanh Duy

DEVELOPING SANCTIONS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS VIOLATIONS IN INTERNAL REGULATIONS

In recent times, under the leadership and direction of Party committees and authorities at all levels, administrative reform work in the province has achieved positive results, contributing significantly to the socio-economic development of the province.

Mechanisms and policies continue to be improved; administrative procedures are simplified, made public, transparent, reducing implementation time and costs; the level of satisfaction of people and businesses is raised.

During the 2011-2020 period, administrative reform-related indicators improved year by year. In 2020, the Public Administration Reform Index (PAR index) ranked 18th out of 63 provinces and cities; the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) ranked 18th out of 63 provinces and cities; and the Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI) ranked 15th out of 63 provinces and cities.

Along with that, the organizational structure has been gradually streamlined, reducing the number of focal points, improving operational efficiency. The staff, civil servants and public employees have been arranged and reorganized more reasonably, their quality has been improved; the sense of responsibility, public ethics, discipline and administrative discipline have had many positive changes.

Comrade Ngoc Kim Nam - Member of the Standing Committee, Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Mass Mobilization Commission spoke at the meeting. Photo: Thanh Duy

However, administrative reform in the province still has some limitations, such as: Administrative institutions still have many shortcomings and are not yet synchronized. Administrative procedures in some areas are still cumbersome and complicated. Procedures for implementing the one-stop shop and one-stop shop mechanism in some agencies and units are still formal and of low quality. The initiative and effectiveness of a number of cadres, civil servants and public employees are also not high;...

In the above context, the building of the Resolution of the Provincial Party Executive Committee on promoting administrative reform in the province for the period 2021 - 2030 is determined to focus on continuing to reform administrative procedures; improving the quality of public services; building a team of professional, competent and qualified cadres, civil servants and public employees; building e-government and digital government.

The draft Resolution sets out the target of striving for PAR index, PAPI, PCI in the top 15 nationwide by 2025. The readiness index for information technology development and application (ICT index) in the top 10 provinces and cities nationwide. In the period 2026 - 2030, we will continue to strive to increase the rankings of the indexes compared to 2025.

Comrade Le Hong Vinh - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee spoke at the meeting. Photo: Thanh Duy

At the meeting, the opinions of the comrades in the Provincial Party Standing Committee basically agreed with the draft Resolution; at the same time, they discussed further the main groups of tasks and solutions to achieve the above goals, such as: in addition to building online interactive channels to collect feedback and recommendations from people and businesses to State agencies, there should be solutions to handle them; clearly showing the results of handling violations through inspection and supervision of public service performance;...

Comrade Le Hong Vinh - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee proposed solutions to strengthen training and guidance for people and businesses because the effectiveness of administrative reform must come from both sides: government agencies at all levels and people and businesses.

Comrade Nguyen Van Thong - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee spoke at the meeting. Photo: Thanh Duy

Commenting on the draft Resolution, comrade Nguyen Van Thong - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee suggested that in addition to the legal regulations of the State, the Resolution should supplement solutions in the internal regulations of each agency and unit. In particular, at agencies handling administrative procedures related to people and businesses, it is necessary to stipulate additional procedures and time for handling work of cadres, civil servants and public employees associated with specific sanctions, in order to regulate behavior, enhance responsibility and be able to promptly handle if cadres, civil servants and public employees violate the regulations in the internal regulations; thereby improving the quality of public service performance right from each agency and unit.

FAST AND COMPREHENSIVE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Concluding this content, Nghe An Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy basically agreed with the contents of viewpoints, goals, requirements, tasks, and main solutions that the draft Resolution built.

However, the head of the Provincial Party Committee expressed concern that the solutions in the draft Resolution have not yet provided a breakthrough solution for the province's administrative reform work in the coming period.

Nghe An Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy delivered a concluding speech on the draft Resolution of the Provincial Party Committee on promoting administrative reform in the province for the 2021-2030 period. Photo: Thanh Duy

Through analysis, the Provincial Party Secretary suggested that the Resolution should clearly mention the breakthrough solution for administrative reform in the 2021 - 2030 period of Nghe An province, which is to quickly and comprehensively digitally transform the public administration; thereby dedicating resources, efforts and setting very high requirements to implement this solution.

The goal is to create a digital platform so that people and businesses do not have to go directly to state agencies when transacting with the government, but can transact directly online.

Along with the roadmap for digital transformation, comrade Thai Thanh Quy requested to continue cutting administrative procedures; continue to build a standard file processing process, especially files related to public services, investment policies, and implemented projects; at the same time, promote the spirit, attitude, and public ethics of the team of cadres, civil servants, and public employees; each agency needs to accelerate digital transformation.

Comrade Nguyen Thi Thu Huong - Member of the Standing Committee, Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department spoke about some contents surrounding the draft Project of the Provincial Party Committee's Standing Committee on improving the quality of consulting, directing, orienting and handling press issues raised in the current situation. Photo: Thanh Duy

After being approved by the Provincial Party Standing Committee, the draft Resolution of the Provincial Party Executive Committee on promoting administrative reform in the province for the 2021-2030 period will be submitted to the Provincial Party Executive Committee for discussion and comments before being finalized and promulgated.

Also in this morning's working session, the Provincial Party Standing Committee discussed the Provincial Party Standing Committee's Directive on continuing to promote the implementation of the movement of the entire people uniting to build a cultural life and family work in the period of 2021 - 2025; approved the Provincial Party Standing Committee's Project on improving the quality of consulting, directing, orienting and handling press issues raised in the current situation; discussed the amendment of Regulation No. 527-QD/TU of the Provincial Party Standing Committee on organizing the ceremony to announce the decision to appoint, transfer, and rotate leaders and managers; Working regulations of the Party Delegation of the Provincial People's Council, term XVIII, term 2021 - 2026;...