The Standing Committee of Nghe An Provincial People's Council pointed out the shortcomings of some departments and branches in policy implementation.

On the morning of June 8, the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council had a meeting with the Department of Culture - Sports; Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs; Department of Health; Department of Home Affairs according to the program of monitoring the implementation of mechanisms and policies issued by the Provincial People's Council. Comrade Cao Thi Hien - Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Council chaired the meeting. Photo: Mai Hoa

Regarding Resolution No. 71/2012/HĐND of the province on the policy mechanism to support the construction of a number of cultural and sports institutions in the province by 2020, through direct supervision in a number of localities and the report of the Department of Culture and Sports at the meeting, members of the monitoring delegation affirmed that the implementation policy has promoted the implementation of the goal of building new rural areas in localities; especially completing the targets on cultural and sports institutions set forth in the Resolution of the 18th Provincial Party Congress.

However, after 8 years of implementation, there are still 2 contents that have not been implemented. Including: supporting 50% of compensation costs, supporting land acquisition and resettlement for densely populated areas without land funds that have to relocate people to build communal cultural houses; supporting 10 million VND/year for cultural and sports activities for extremely disadvantaged communes and communes in Quy Hop cultural district.

Deputy Head of the Economic - Budget Committee of the Provincial People's Council Cao Tien Trung raised the question, is there a situation of policy debt? Photo: Mai Hoa

This practice was affirmed by Deputy Head of the Culture - Social Committee of the Provincial People's Council Nguyen Thi Lan and Deputy Head of the Legal Committee of the Provincial People's Council Thai Thi An Chung, the responsibility of the Department of Culture - Sports in directing implementation and providing guidance to the grassroots is not thorough and specific.

In addition, some members of the monitoring delegation also raised issues related to resources that have not clearly defined the source of support from the budget to implement the policy, but are synthesizing resources from programs, including socialized sources in investing in building cultural and sports institutions. The content of support for training staff working in the field of culture and sports is not clear.

Some members are also interested in the planning work and the scale of construction of cultural and sports facilities after the policy mechanism issued by the Provincial People's Council. Delegates asked: Is there a situation of policy debt?

Members of the monitoring delegation also requested the Department of Culture and Sports to clarify the contents related to the policy of using cultural and sports institutions for the merged units, how to avoid wasting investment resources...

Speaking at the meeting, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports Tran Thi My Hanh admitted some shortcomings in implementing policies to support the construction of cultural and sports institutions. Photo: Mai Hoa

Responding to the issues raised by the monitoring delegation of the Provincial People's Council Standing Committee, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports Tran Thi My Hanh said that, in conjunction with the implementation of new rural construction, up to now, 100% of commune and hamlet level units have planned cultural and sports institutions.

However, meeting planning standards is still very difficult, because planning implementation depends on the level of awareness and interest of localities to choose planning locations.

Bamboo dance for community tourism in Con Cuong district. Photo courtesy of Thanh Cuong

That leads to the situation where the planning of cultural and sports institutions in some localities is not located in the central area and does not really create favorable conditions for people to participate. Some places are even planned right next to cemeteries, and some places have been planned and built for 6-7 billion VND but are not used.

Director of the Department of Culture and Sports Tran Thi My Hanh also informed that the province currently owes 26 billion VND in implementing policies to support the construction of cultural and sports institutions for localities. Regarding the implementation of training support content, the Director of the Department of Culture and Sports admitted shortcomings in not paying attention to reviewing for implementation.

Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Council Cao Thi Hien suggested that the Provincial People's Committee and departments and branches need to learn from experience in implementing policies issued by the Provincial People's Council. Photo: Mai Hoa

Need to learn from experience in policy implementation

Concluding this content, besides appreciating the impact of the policy, Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Council Cao Thi Hien pointed out a number of shortcomings that need to be learned from in implementing the policy issued by the Provincial People's Council.

The Provincial People's Committee needs to clearly assign responsibilities to provincial and local departments and branches as well as ensure resources for implementation. In addition to the responsibilities of the Provincial People's Council, the Department of Culture and Sports needs to guide, urge, inspect and supervise regularly to ensure that the policy is implemented most effectively.

Deputy Director of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Bui Van Hung received opinions raised by the Provincial People's Council's monitoring delegation regarding the implementation of policies advised by the sector. Photo: Mai Hoa

Also this morning, the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council also spent time evaluating the implementation of 5 resolutions by the Provincial People's Council related to specific policies to support the development of human resources for public health; support mechanisms for implementing the School Milk program; poverty reduction support policies for communes with a poverty rate of 30% or more in addition to Resolution 30a; policies to support people with meritorious services to the revolution to improve their housing; reward policies for collectives and individuals with high achievements in international, regional, national and provincial competitions.

The most common issue pointed out by the members of the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council's monitoring delegation, requiring the departments and branches responsible for advising is to pay attention to propaganda work to effectively bring policies into life. At the same time, it is recommended that departments and branches study and propose to abolish or amend some policy contents that are not suitable for reality or overlap with the Central Government's policies that are still in effect.