State administrative apparatus needs reform for better efficiency
Hanoi, (VNA) – Building a streamlined and effective
apparatus for the political system is one of the key tasks that the Communist
Party of Vietnam (CPV) has set for the 12th tenure.
With high political resolve, Resolution 18-NQ/TW adopted by
the 6th plenum of the 12th CPV Central Committee emphasised
streamlining personnel in combination with re-organising, improving the quality
of, and effectively using the contingent of officials, public servants and
civil workers; cutting regular spending and contributing to reforming salary
policies.
To carry out the resolution along with related plans and
resolutions of the CPV Politburo and the National Assembly, the Government
issued a resolution on a Plan of Action on February 3, 2018, urging drastic and
urgent actions.
Under the resolution, the Government requires ministries,
ministry-level agencies and Government agencies to review, re-arrange and
streamline their apparatus, cut the numbers of general departments,
departments, sections and sub-sections. The establishment of new organisations
or sections under departments will not be allowed, except for special cases
that need approval of competent authority. The number of project management
units must be reduced to the minimum. Public non-business agencies must be
merged and re-arranged to reduce their number and personnel.
Right in the first quarter of 2018, ministers, heads of
ministry-level agencies, heads of Government agencies, and Chairs of People’s
Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities were ordered to design and
issue plans to implement Resolution 18-NQ/TW and related plans and resolutions
of the Politburo, the National Assembly and the Government.
With a detailed plan and roadmap, the Plan of Action
demonstrates the Government’s high resolve to concretise the Party’s policy,
thus helping create remarkable changes in the awareness and actions of
officials, public servants and civil workers at all levels as well as workers
across all sectors and society as a whole regarding the reform of the political
system’s apparatus.
Previously, at a working session with the Government in
August 2017, an inspection team of the National Assembly which monitored the
reform of the State administrative apparatus during 2011-2016, noted that there
were yet any remarkable changes in the Government’s organisation and structure in
the direction of compactness and focusing on macro management and policy
making, while cutting involvement in direct management and execution work.
In the period from 2011 to 2016, the number of
administrative units under ministries and ministry-level agencies increased by
28, while those under general departments rose by 822. As of June 2017, there
were 42 general departments, double the number in the Government’s 11th tenure. The numbers of departments and sections also increased by between 4.7
and 13.6 percent compared to 2011.
It is noteworthy that such an expanded apparatus was unable
to cover all aspects of State management. According to the Government’s
reports, in 2011 there were two aspects that had not been subject to State
management and the problem was not solved until August 2017. At present, there are
18 aspects under overlapping management, or affected by differing viewpoints on
the scope of responsibility among ministries and sectors.-VNA