Reorganisation of public service units yields positive outcomes

Deputies at the 36th session of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Monday in Hà Nội. —VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

HÀ NỘI — The reorganisation of public service units has achieved positive results, particularly between 2015 and 2021, surpassing the target reduction of ten per cent with an actual decrease of 13.33 per cent.

After the reorganisation, the units have effectively enhanced their primary roles and improved the quality of public service.

The total number of public service staff decreased by 11.67 per cent during the period, exceeding the ten per cent target.

Hoàng Thanh Tùng, head of the National Assembly’s Committee on Legal Affairs, released the numbers when he presented a summary of the monitoring results on ‘Implementing policies and laws for reforming the organisation and management system to enhance quality and efficiency of public service units during 2018-23’ at the 36th session of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Monday in Hà Nội.

Tùng highlighted significant efforts by the Government, ministries and localities since 2018 to implement reforms, achieving notable progress.

However, challenges remained, he said.

The institutionalisation of Party policies and legal frameworks for public service units was believed to be incomplete and untimely.

The reorganisation had often been mechanical, with low rates of reduction in State-funded staff from 2021 to 2023.

Therefore, the monitoring team recommended continuing to review, amend and supplement new legal documents to fully and timely implement Party policies and address organisational issues.

It also advised completing the approval of staff positions and restructuring by 2024 while maintaining State-funded staff reductions, considering the specific needs of education and healthcare sectors.

National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn said that under the Party’s leadership, the National Assembly and Government had decisively pursued reforms to improve public service units.

The monitoring report outlined both achievements and limitations, he said, emphasising the need to address the issues moving forward.

Also at the event, chairman of the National Assembly’s Economic Committee Vũ Hồng Thanh said he highly appreciated thorough preparation of the monitoring report, but expressed concerns about the slowing pace of reforms from 2021 to 2023.

Citing the reality of implementing equitisation and divestment at State-owned enterprises in the initial stages, which was done very quickly and very well in qualified units, Thanh said that there were still problems and shortcomings in the remaining public service units, so it was necessary to clarify and have drastic solutions to achieve the goals and tasks set out in the coming time.

The National Assembly Standing Committee unanimously approved the draft resolution on monitoring the reform of public service units for 2018-23.

Many key issues discussed

Chairman of the National Assembly’s Economic Committee Vũ Hồng Thanh delivers his speech at the 36th session of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Monday in Hà Nội.—VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

The 36th session of the National Assembly Standing Committee commenced on Monday under the chair of Trần Thanh Mẫn.

He said that the session, scheduled to last four days, between August 19 and 22, would allocate 1.5 days for questioning and answers, as well as reviewing twelve key issues.

Regarding legislative work, the committee would provide initial feedback on three draft laws of the revised Law on Electricity, amendments to the Law on Standards and Technical Regulations and amendments to the Law on the Vietnamese People’s Army Officers.

The Committee would also review and adjust the draft Law on People’s Air Defence based on feedback from the previous seventh National Assembly session.

Relevant agencies would also refine the draft for submission to the National Assembly’s specialised conference from August 27 to 29, before presenting it for approval at the National Assembly’s eighth session.

Additionally, the committee would consider the Government’s proposal to add two new draft laws to the legislative programme, consisting of amendments to the Law on Health Insurance and the Law on Disease Prevention.

In terms of oversight, the committee would spend one and a half days (Wednesday and Thursday morning) to questioning and assessing the implementation of resolutions related to specialised oversight from the start of the 15th National Assembly’s term until the end of last year.

The assessment would cover nine areas of agriculture and rural development: industry and trade, culture, sports and tourism, justice, home affairs, security, public order and social safety, inspection, courts and prosecution.

The questioning session would be broadcast live for public viewing.

In line with this year’s oversight programme, the committee would review the monitoring report and pass a resolution on the reform of public service units for 2018-23.

The committee would also examine the National Assembly’s report on citizens’ petitions in July 2024 as per standard practice.

Furthermore, the committee would provide feedback on the draft oversight plan and the outline report for the monitoring team regarding the implementation of policies and laws related to human resource development, particularly high-quality human resources essential for economic and social development.— VNS