Local residents come for administrative procedures at Kim Liên Ward. VNA/VNS Photo Quốc Lũy

Nam Giang & Tuyết Mai

After more than a week of implementation, the two-tier local government in Hà Nội has been operating smoothly without interruption, demonstrating effectiveness.

In particular, the two-tier local government model has received approval and satisfaction from the populace and businesses when they come to rural communes and urban wards to carry out administrative procedures.

Nguyễn Minh Hương, chief of the Administrative Office of Hai Bà Trưng Ward, said that to conduct administrative procedures, the ward set up four support points at 44 Trần Nhân Tông Street, 44 Trần Xuân Soạn Street, 302 Bà Triệu Street, and 14 Đỗ Ngọc Du Street.

The ward proactively equips facilities and personnel to guide people, and makes public the list of administrative procedures according to the Public Administration Service Centre’s instruction with samples of documents and QR codes attached.

The support points are well-operated. Receiving, processing, and returning citizens' documents have been carried out following correct procedures and ensuring progress.

After a week of implementing the two-tier local government, the number of documents processed in Hai Bà Trưng Ward increased, showing that people's needs have increased and the new authorities' work has achieved good results.

In Hoàng Liệt Ward, efforts by officials have overcome difficulties, quickly stabilised the grassroots government apparatus and improved service efficiency.

At the Hoàng Liệt Ward People's Committee [Administration], people are satisfied with the officials’ service attitude and enthusiastic guidance.

Nguyễn Thanh Tùng, 81, said that he came to ask about policies for wounded soldiers, beneficiaries, and nursing care.

He was guided enthusiastically and thoroughly by the staff.

"Completing administrative procedures quickly makes us happy," said Tùng.

Helping people in filling out papers, staff member Bùi Thu Ngân said that when people came to the ward to do administrative procedures, most of them were not familiar with how to fill out forms.

The ward arranged staff and volunteers to guide people in using smartphones or computers at the ward.

This was a timely step, demonstrating the new system's ability to adapt quickly, especially in a newly reformed apparatus.

In Giảng Võ Ward, the two-tier government model has been carried out systematically and compatibly.

In just the first four days of July, the one-stop unit received and processed more than 300 administrative records.

Officials and their staff are clearly assigned and coordinate smoothly.

Cồ Như Dũng, chairman of the Giảng Võ Ward People's Committee, said that the staff restructuring did not stop at merging and consolidating administrative units, but must be confirmed by practical effectiveness.

That meant the people’s satisfaction, sustainable socio-economic development, and national defence and security.

"Each admin staff member in the ward has been promoting the spirit of solidarity, innovation, discipline, taking the people as the centre. All targets are aimed at gradually realising the goal of building a two-tier local government that is streamlined, effective, close to the people and for the people,” said Dũng.

Courage and responsibility

A volunteer guides and helps people in carrying out administrative procedures in Bạch Mai Ward. VNA/VNS Photo Quốc Lũy

In recent days, the commune/ward-level authorities have faced significant challenges as the areas under their governance were expanded and their workload increased.

Violations of land, construction orders and site clearance require the commune/ward government to clearly demonstrate its mettle, responsibility and determination.

In Phú Xuyên Commune, in just the first three days of this month, 15 cases of violations related to agricultural land and public land were discovered and handled.

Households arbitrarily built workshops and illegally changed the purpose of land use in some villages.

The commune administration established an interdisciplinary working group to increase inspections, temporarily seize violating tools and request their immediate dismantling.

Bùi Công Thản, chairman of the Phú Xuyên Commune People's Committee, said that the commune would handle cases thoroughly, announce a hotline and ask people to monitor and report violations.

"Synchronous participation is a prerequisite for the new apparatus to truly be effective," he said.

With the government apparatus reform, not only the people but also businesses and real estate project investors expect that obstacles related to procedures will be completely removed.

Phạm Minh Nam, owner of the Hoa Nam Real Estate Investment Enterprise, said that the two-tier local government helped reduce the intermediary stages.

Businesses no longer have to go around asking for approval at various levels, which shortens the time to complete procedures, according to Nam.

Previously, businesses faced many problems from complicated procedures, which not only affected domestic investors, but also made international investors hesitant.

Prolonged procedures are also the reason for high housing prices.

Therefore, removing administrative barriers is the key to promoting the development of the real estate market.

“Simplifying administrative procedures and legal reform are key factors to remove difficulties in the market, create a favourable business environment, contribute to sustainable business development and attract effective investment capital,” said Nam.

Real estate expert Phạm Quang Hiệp said that in the real estate sector, to realise a project, a business might have to secure dozens of seals.

Applying for planning adjustments was also very difficult.

This led to many consequences such as new projects being delayed, some projects being behind schedule, and being handed over to customers four or five years late simply because they had not been granted a construction permit.

On the contrary, there were projects that had got construction permits for many years but had not yet been implemented because the land use fee had not been determined – a mandatory factor to complete financial obligations and carry out procedures for granting a land use rights certificate, he said.

The two-tier local government has been carried out with careful preparation, good facilities and digital connectivity.

This is a major change not only in organisation but also in the awareness, thinking and actions of the entire political system.

Two weeks have passed with many successes and difficulties, but also full of determination.

The two-tier local government is not only a new administrative model but also a commitment of Hà Nội to building a modern, trustworthy, transparent and sustainable development-oriented administration. VNS