Nguyễn Thị Lệ, chairwoman of the People’s Council, speaks at the 21st session of HCM City People’s Council meeting on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — The HCM City People’s Council convened its 21st session on Thursday, focusing on initiatives aimed at streamlining its organisational structure and addressing pressing socio-economic issues.

Speaking at the session, Nguyễn Thị Lệ, chairwoman of the People’s Council, said that the People’s Council will address personnel-related matters in compliance with Party regulations and state law, ensuring that local governance remains efficient and effective.

These include financial support measures for officials, civil servants, public employees, and workers adversely affected by the initiatives.

As part of the proposed reforms, the city plans to reduce the number of specialised agencies from 21 to 16, thereby streamlining operations while preserving essential services. 

In addition, the number of agencies under the People’s Committee will be decreased, reflecting a commitment to operational efficiency.

To facilitate these changes, the city will eliminate 6,291 positions, which represents approximately 20 per cent of the total workforce as allocated by the Politburo and the People’s Council. 

The budget required to support this transition is projected to be nearly VNĐ17 trillion (US$664.5 million).

In a proposal submitted earlier by the People’s Committee to the People's Council, the impacted civil servants and public staff may be eligible for nearly VNĐ2.7 billion ($106,000) in financial assistance due to job departures or early retirements.

The support calculation is based on current salary levels and duration of service, along with mandatory social insurance contributions.

Another critical agenda item will involve policies aimed at supporting veterans and individuals who have contributed to the revolutionary cause.

The discussions will also focus on enhancing resources, fostering a more efficient organisational framework, promoting digital transformation, and tackling outstanding issues faced by the city.

Other key topics include the approval of investments in existing road infrastructure projects and the establishment of special policies to assist with tuition fees for preschool children under the age of five and high school students for the forthcoming academic year.

“The discussions and decisions made during this session are essential for realising the socio-economic development objectives established for 2025 and beyond,” Lệ noted. — VNS