Prime Minister's working group inspects Electricity Group

On September 15, the Prime Minister's Working Group inspected Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) on the implementation of tasks assigned by the Government and the Prime Minister.

The inspection delegation was led by Deputy Head of the Government Office (VOO) Le Manh Ha, Deputy Head of the Prime Minister's Working Group, with members including: Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Dao Quang Thu, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Nguyen Trong Thua, Deputy Inspector General of the Government Dang Cong Huan, Deputy Minister of Justice Tran Tien Dung... and a number of VOO officials.

Deputy Head of the Government Office Le Manh Ha speaks at the inspection of Vietnam Electricity Group. Photo: VGP/Ha Chinh

According to Deputy Head of the Government Office Le Manh Ha, in order to build a creative and active Government as required and committed by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, the assigned tasks must be carried out promptly, on time, and with quality assurance.

Stating that EVN is the first state-owned economic group to be inspected by the Prime Minister's Working Group, the Deputy Chairman requested EVN to report on the implementation of tasks assigned by the Government and the Prime Minister, clearly stating the subjective and objective reasons if there are any delays.

According to Mr. Dang Hoang An, General Director of EVN, from 2015 to September 10, 2016, EVN has been assigned 658 tasks by the Prime Minister and the Government (including tasks assigned to EVN through ministries such as the Ministry of Industry and Trade). Of these, 619 tasks have been completed, and 39 tasks are still being carried out. In particular, EVN affirmed that no task is overdue.

In general, EVN said that in the period of 2011-2015, the Group has fulfilled the task assigned by the Government, which is to play a key role in ensuring electricity supply for the country. Notably, in terms of restructuring and reorganizing production and business, by the end of 2015, it had completed divestment and capital reduction in 7 joint stock companies, reaching 100% of the capital value that needed to be divested in the fields of real estate, securities, finance, banking, and insurance, preserving capital value.

Regarding administrative procedure reform, implementing the assigned tasks in Resolution 19 of the Government, EVN has shortened the time to resolve power supply for medium voltage customers from 50 days previously to 10 days since September 1, 2015. According to independent assessment, customers have recorded a clear change in power supply services and service attitude of electricity staff.

Also at the meeting, EVN proposed to the Working Group many issues, difficulties and obstacles that need to be directed to be resolved in the coming time. For example, the Group is currently "very stuck" in investing in projects and works according to new laws such as Bidding, Public Investment, Construction and guiding documents, due to the lengthy procedures and time for implementing investment preparation work and going through many levels of approval.

“We strongly support the Government's policy of proposing that the National Assembly issue a law amending many laws on business investment, especially on construction investment procedures,” said General Director Dang Hoang An.

EVN's specific explanation

Deputy Chairman Le Manh Ha suggested that the working content should focus on the tasks, instructions, and conclusions directly assigned to EVN by the Government and the Prime Minister. As an enterprise, EVN rarely receives direct instructions and conclusions from the Government and the Prime Minister, but usually through ministries and branches.

According to the database management system that monitors the connection from the Government Office to ministries, agencies and localities, in 2015, the Government and the Prime Minister directly assigned 25 tasks to EVN, 11 tasks were completed, 8 tasks were not yet implemented but were within the deadline, and 6 tasks were overdue and not completed..In 2016, as of September 10, the total number of tasks was 16, of which 8 tasks were completed, 7 tasks were on time, and 1 task was overdue.

At the working session, the delegation members highly appreciated EVN's efforts in carrying out assigned tasks, implementing them quickly and decisively, especially the tasks of supplying electricity to rural areas, divesting non-core investments, etc. At the same time, they requested EVN to explain and clarify the overdue tasks that have not been completed due to what reasons, both subjective and objective, where the problems are, how to handle them, the deadline for completion, etc. so that the Working Group can report to the Government and the Prime Minister.

General Director Dang Hoang An reported and explained clearly about 6 tasks in 2015 that were recorded as overdue but not completed, such as tasks such as developing a project to bring multi-purpose hydropower plants to participate in competitive power generation, renewing the mechanism of the Electricity University, the issue of developing smart grids... Accordingly, EVN has completed its part of the work and transferred it to other competent authorities for handling.

To clarify, according to the members of the Working Group, there are tasks that EVN has completed but have not updated to the Interconnected Monitoring Database Management System from the Government Office to ministries, agencies, and localities, so they are not considered completed. This issue also needs to be resolved in the coming time.

EVN General Director Dang Hoang An reports to the Inspection Team. Photo: VGP/Ha Chinh

"The complaints against the Electricity industry have decreased a lot"

Concluding the meeting, Deputy Head of the Government Office Le Manh Ha said that EVN had reported to the inspection team fully, clearly and specifically about the implementation of assigned tasks. Even the classification of tasks was very detailed and scientific, thereby helping to organize the implementation in a more methodical and professional manner.

Acknowledging EVN's explanation of the overdue tasks that have not been completed - although they still need to be reviewed more carefully, Vice Chairman Le Manh Ha said that EVN has completed the assigned tasks in full quantity and on time.

He agreed with the opinions of the inspection team, acknowledging and appreciating EVN's strong changes in production and business results, restructuring, and improving service quality. Although there are still many problems, in general, "complaints to the Electricity industry have decreased a lot".

However, EVN needs to clarify and report more on the quality of completion of assigned tasks, and at the same time clearly state lessons learned to help quickly carry out tasks for replication.

The Vice Chairman suggested that EVN increase the application of information technology in its operations, contributing to promoting the development of e-Government, thereby increasing publicity and transparency. This is also a solution to connect agencies and monitor the implementation of assigned tasks. The Government Office will discuss and agree with agencies on the completion of the database management system for monitoring connections from the Government Office to ministries, agencies and localities.

“EVN has finished, but how to transfer it to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, to the Government Office, which Department or Bureau has received it, which specialist has processed it, how fast or slow... must be clear, transparent, and cannot be "frozen", said the Deputy Head.

Informing that in the coming time, the Working Group will continue to inspect ministries, branches and agencies, the Vice Chairman said that there should be solutions to inspect more frequently and especially to be able to inspect without coming directly. Regarding EVN's proposals, the Vice Chairman suggested that representatives of the Ministries consider this as an official recommendation, proactively resolve it, and report to the Government and Prime Minister on issues beyond their authority. "We must clearly demonstrate the spirit that the Working Group not only inspects but also receives, handles problems and helps the inspected agencies," the Vice Chairman emphasized.

On the other hand, Deputy Director Le Manh Ha said that the inspection is two-way. "Sometimes the work is slow because of the ministries. Minister and Director of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung said that the Government Office must also review, not just self-review. In the near future, the Prime Minister's Working Group led by Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Nguyen Trong Thua will inspect the Government Office," Deputy Director Le Manh Ha frankly said.

According to Chinhphu.vn