The southern province of Ben Tre will accelerate administrative reform in a bid to assist businesses, thus spurring the locality’s socio-economic development.

Vo Thanh Hao, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said at a meeting on February 21 that although administrative reform is unable to create added financial value, it can help raise businesses’ confidence.

Therefore, the province will implement a job allocation project to clarify officials’ responsibility, set up a hotline and publicise the phone numbers of leaders of several departments, he said.

Hao called on businesses to raise their competitiveness in the context of international economic integration, as most of them are small and medium-sized.

They were also urged to voice difficulties and challenges hindering their operations to competent agencies while calling for the sharing of market information and the State’s relevant guidelines and policies.-VNA