Effectiveness from implementing decentralization and delegation regulations

The promotion of the implementation of regulations on decentralization and delegation of authority in state management in the province is basically consistent and effective. Decentralization and delegation have promoted autonomy, self-responsibility, dynamism and creativity of agencies and localities, meeting the requirements of administrative reform and improving the effectiveness and efficiency of state management.

Improve management effectiveness and efficiency

Recently, the Provincial People's Committee has emphasized the implementation of decentralization tasks and the delegation of state management authority within the province. This specifically applies to the fields of natural resources and the environment, transportation, health, education and training, culture, sports and tourism, as well as labor, war veterans, and social affairs (with the exception of public asset procurement). This delegation is set to take place from January 1, 2022, to July 31, 2024.

The Provincial Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs holds a dialogue conference with foreign-invested enterprises on granting work permits.

Accordingly, the Provincial People's Committee deployed decentralized tasks and delegated powers according to the provisions of Resolution No. 99/NQ-CP dated June 24, 2020 and Resolution No. 04/NQ-CP dated January 1, 2022 of the Government on promoting decentralization and delegation of powers in state management (Resolution No. 04/NQ-CP); issued many legal documents in various fields to specify the regulations of the Central Government; clearly defined the tasks, powers, authorities and responsibilities of departments, branches and localities in state management work at the local level. The recent increase in decentralization and delegation of power has created initiative and increased responsibility of heads of agencies, units and localities, contributing to improving the effectiveness and efficiency of state management in the area.

Mr. Trinh Duc Tai, Director of the Provincial Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, said that the department seriously implemented and specified the decentralization and delegation to ensure compliance with regulations in the areas under the Department Office; the areas under the Social Protection Office; the areas under the Labor Policy Office; the areas under the Office of People with Merits; the areas under the Planning and Finance Office; and the areas under the Vocational Education Office. In which, the field belongs to the Office of Labor Policy, the department carries out the delegation of the Provincial People's Committee on granting labor certificates to foreigners. From June 12, 2023 to September 17, 2023, the Department received requests for foreign workers, changed requests for foreign workers, approved job positions using foreign workers in the province for 2,389 employers with 3,417 approved job positions; did not approve job positions using foreign workers for 1,200 employers.

“The delegation has created many advantages for the Department to be proactive in conducting inspections and resolving requests from employers. The Department has plenty of time to process administrative documents, minimizing late documents. For employers, the Department has received, checked and resolved to ensure the time according to regulations. Thereby, employers can take the initiative in their work and not affect other related work," said Mr. Trinh Duc Tai.

Similarly, decentralization and delegation to the Director of the Provincial Department of Transport has improved the effectiveness and efficiency of the sector's management. For example, the Provincial People's Committee decentralizes the authority of the Department to decide on investment in construction of projects using provincial road management and maintenance funds in the province. “By decentralizing the authority of the department director to decide on investment in construction for projects using provincial road management and maintenance funds according to decentralization, it has created conditions for project investors to be proactive in the implementation process, shortening the time for maintenance and repair projects, contributing to ensuring traffic safety, promptly resolving voters' recommendations related to traffic safety work,” said Mr. Nguyen Anh Minh, Director of the Provincial Department of Transport.

Propose staffing, improve the effectiveness of decentralization and delegation

According to Mr. Ngo Quang Su, the Director of the Provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the implementation of decentralized tasks in the environmental sector is facing challenges due to insufficient staff to effectively carry out assigned responsibilities. The Law on Environmental Protection of 2020 introduces several new tasks for the environmental sector, including licensing wastewater discharge into water sources as part of environmental permits, managing domestic waste, and implementing biodiversity conservation efforts. As a result, new job positions will need to be created, and staff must be appropriately assigned to handle these responsibilities. The strong decentralization of tasks to local authorities is also increasing the overall workload. Meanwhile, the staffing for the environmental sector is decreasing, so with the current number of staffing levels, civil servants and public employees are facing pressure and difficulties in performing their decentralized tasks.

Mr. Trinh Duc Tai explained that the workload for the department has significantly increased since it was decentralized and authorized to handle additional responsibilities. However, the department is facing challenges due to a lack of staffing, which is putting pressure on personnel to manage these tasks effectively. Localities have also reported several common difficulties and obstacles in implementing decentralization and delegated tasks, including issues related to staffing, facilities, and funding. As a result, localities must either balance their own budgets or assign extra responsibilities to officials and civil servants to ensure the successful implementation of these tasks.

Therefore, the Provincial People's Committee recommends that the Provincial People's Council prioritize and approve the addition of civil servant positions to the province's payroll. This is crucial to ensure that we have the necessary human resources to effectively carry out state management responsibilities at the local level. Additionally, the Provincial People's Committee is focused on finalizing the draft Project on decentralization and delegation of state management in the province. This draft will be submitted for consideration and approval at the Provincial People's Council meeting at the end of 2024 for implementation...

Reported by Do Trong, Thanh Tuyen - Translated by Ngoc Huynh