When the two-tier government model became operational, the one-stop mechanism at the Bắc Ninh Provincial Public Administrative Service Centre has been running smoothly, facilitating citizens and businesses in processing administrative procedures. — Photo courtesy of Bắc Ninh Province

BẮC NINH — The consistent and ultimate objective of the 'Friendly Government' model is to ensure the satisfaction for the people, creating closeness between officials and residents, as well as between the Government and the nation.

Having identified the task of building a 'Friendly Government' as a central mission, Bắc Ninh Province has deployed and implemented this model with a spirit of innovation, dynamism, creativity and suitability to the actual local conditions and circumstances, especially now that the two-tier government model has come into operation.

A member of staff at the Bắc Ninh Provincial Public Administrative Service Centre helps a resident complete online proceedures.

Arriving at the Đào Viên Ward Public Administrative Service Centre in Bắc Ninh Province, Nguyễn Văn Bản brought along all the necessary types of documents to carry out an administrative procedure related civil status matters.

But, this procedure, according to current regulations, must be submitted online. Although he has a smartphone and has installed level-two digital identification, Bản had not yet utilised this feature. Very quickly, he was assisted and guided by the staff at the centre to perform the processes in accordance with the regulations.

Bản, from Đông Du Núi residents group, Đào Viên Ward in Bắc Ninh Province, said: “I came to the public administrative service centre today to handle the procedure for re-registering my sister's birth certificate.

"When I arrived here, the guides at the centre informed me that currently, certain procedures and documents are required. After I completed those procedures and documents, the staff at the administrative service centre created conditions to help me.

“Overall, the working attitude of the officials is very enthusiastic, providing help thoroughly and completely. Because I am new using a smartphone and not yet proficient, the staff understood this and guided me, and in the end, they successfully completed my procedure.”

Cases like Bản’s are not uncommon at public administrative service centres. Although many people have smart mobile devices, especially the elderly, they have not yet fully exploited all the available features.

In particular, since the Government stipulated that the list of 25 essential administrative procedures must be submitted online, this has caused many citizens to feel apprehensive.

Staff support citizens at the Bắc Ninh Provincial Public Administrative Service Centre.

Grasping this reality, the Đào Viên Ward Public Administrative Service Centre has regularly arranged staff to provide information technology (IT) support, guiding citizens who encounter difficulties when accessing public services in the electronic environment.

Nguyễn Hải Giang from the Đào Viên Ward Public Administrative Service Centre, Bắc Ninh Province, said: “When citizens arrive, we first gather information about them and assess their ability to use the system, whether they are familiar with it or not.

"After that, we provide direct support on their phones for citizens who have the necessary conditions and procedures in place. For citizens who do not have the conditions, we assist them through the staff’s computer system.

“We support procedures related to citizens’ documents, and if they have questions about whether these documents need to be resubmitted, we explain clearly to them.”

Recognising that in the initial phase of implementing the digital government model many administrative procedures must be performed in the electronic environment, the 'hand-holding' approach is extremely important.

Although this may require officials to spend additional time guiding and supporting citizens, the spirit of 'four please, four always, and five no' is always thoroughly instilled and strictly implemented by Bắc Ninh Province in line with the policy of serving the people.

The four please (please greet, please apologise, please thank, please excuse) is to cultivate polite attitudes. The four always (always smile, always be gentle, always listen, always help) is to create closeness and professionalism. And the five no (no arrogance, no bureaucracy, no causing hassle, no extortion, no corruption) helps build a friendly government.

Đỗ Huy Quang, Deputy Director of the Đào Viên Ward Public Administrative Service Centre, Bắc Ninh Province, said: “We thoroughly embrace the spirit of putting the people and businesses at the centre. Therefore, in the context where material facilities are not yet fully adequate, the first thing is to receive and guide the people and businesses.

“We have assigned officials and civil servants to receive and welcome all citizens and businesses. Whenever they have administrative procedures arising or any needs, we guide them to the appropriate desks and counters to meet the staff, get their matters received, and at the same time, if any citizen is still unclear about performing procedures, we are ready with staff to support and guide them to complete the administrative procedures exactly as required.”

Staff at the Hợp Thịnh Commune Public Administrative Service Centre, Bắc Ninh Province, processes administrative procedures for citizens. — Photo courtesy of Bắc Ninh Province

With the two-tier local government model, the number of administrative procedures at the commune level has increased significantly compared to before.

The volume of work is very large, but it demands adherence to the prescribed processing times for citizens’ administrative procedures.

Therefore, forging the conduct, enhancing the qualifications and increasing the responsibility of officials and civil servants in executing their duties is the top priority of Bắc Ninh Province.

Maintaining and tightening administrative discipline and order, instilling methodical and scientific work practices and applying digital transformation in administrative reform have made a crucial contribution to Bắc Ninh Province continuously leading the country in the indices for serving people and businesses in processing administrative procedures in the electronic environment. — VNS