Project 30, introduced in 2007 to simplify administrative procedures,
has been a breakthrough, Deputy Tran Du Lich of HCM City told the
National Assembly Nov. 9.
It has been a major step toward the target of publicising administrative
procedures and has given the public the tools to supervise State
administrative agencies, he said.
The deputy was
among a majority of parliamentarians who agreed that it has been correct
to assign the National Assembly the task of overseeing the reform of
administrative procedures for land, housing, tax and customs.
Their opinions were part of an appraisal of Government's achievements
in administrative reform as it has affected ordinary people and
enterprises during the past ten years, especially since the launch of
Project 30.
Their debate, which assessed a Standing Committee report, was televised nationally.
The report says that for the first time Vietnam has a National
Database for Administrative Procedures in State Management for the
centre; provinces, districts and communes.
The
Government has continuously asked the assembly to revise and promulgate
numerous laws and decrees and to implement specific solutions to
accelerate administrative reform, it says.
It also
shows that most ministries, sectors and localities have met their
requirement to simplify 30 percent of administrative procedures.
Among 5,421 procedures reviewed, 480 were reduced to 192 with 4,416 revised and amended.
In addition, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has required that the
simplification process reduce administrative costs for individuals and
enterprises by a yearly 30 percent.
Deputy Huynh Nghia, Da Nang, said the database and the introduction of online services was the most noticeable success.
More than 5,700 administrative procedures are now available to the public online.
"It's calculated that administrative procedure simplification saves us
about 7,900 billion VND (395 million USD) each year," the deputy said.
"The figure is very impressive and is the result of the State's attempts to simplify administrative procedures."
Deputy Nguyen Van Quynh, northern Quang Ninh province, and Pham Manh
Hung, northern Thai Nguyen province, together with Deputy Huynh Van
Tiep, Can Tho, the Mekong Delta, said the achievements in
administrative-procedure reform were reflected in socio-economic
development and the improved investment environment.
Some deputies hailed the World Bank and International Finance
Corporation's report Doing Business 2011 as a vivid example of how
administrative reform has progressed.
The report, published on Nov. 4, lists Vietnam among the world's 10 most improved economies.
Despite the success, many deputies complained that numerous
administrative procedures are overtapped, take too long and lack
transparency. .
Deputy Nguyen Ngoc Minh, central
Ninh Thuan province and Deputy Cao Si Kiem, northern Thai Binh province,
said the bureaucratic practices of administrative staff remain a
barrier to business.
Deputies Tran Thi Loc, northern
Bac Kan province, and Huynh Nghia, Da Nang, said people are the most
important to the success of the administrative reform and should be
given more attention.
Both complained the
administrative staff can not live from their salaries and this is among
the reasons for their seeking ways to make money illegally.
Deputy Mai Thi Anh Tuyet, southern An Giang province, said salaries
and training for administrative staff should be included in
administrative reform.
The application of
information technology was the key to successful State management,
advised deputy Le Doan Hop, northern Hung Yen province.
"It's the fastest way to implement administrative procedures and most effective way to minimise negatives," he said./.
