A high-tech shrimp farming model at Long Khánh Agricultural Co-operative in Long Thành Commune. — VNA/VNS Photo

VĨNH LONG — Vĩnh Long Province has reported significant progress in implementing the Politburo’s Resolution No 57 that puts science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation at the centre of growth.

After 18 months, the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province has made a clear shift from awareness to action, gradually turning science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation into new drivers of growth while improving governance and services for people and businesses.

It has issued 144 directives and administrative documents to create a foundation for the coordinated implementation of tasks.

It has adopted a comprehensive approach that links digital transformation with administrative reform to improve governance and better serve people and businesses.

One of its most notable achievements is the development of a digital monitoring and management model for implementing Resolution No 57 through a digital platform and its intelligent operations centre (IOC).

This system has improved the efficiency of direction and administration, enhanced transparency and accountability, and reduced the use of paper reports.

A major achievement has been the province's performance in the Index for Serving People and Businesses, established under Prime Minister's Decision No 766 dated June 23, 2022.

It climbed from 32nd out of 34 provinces and cities, with 84.65 points, in October last year to first place on June 20.

In digital data management, the provincial police department has regularly guided departments and sectors in connecting to and using the national population database to support public services and specialised administrative operations, ensuring that data is 100 per cent accurate, complete, clean, and up to date.

The province has collected and approved three million out of 3.1 million electronic identification accounts for citizens.

It also maintains 341 community digital technology teams across all 124 of its communes and wards.

The teams help the public access and use digital platforms, online public services and digital payment methods and acquire the skills required to stay safe in cyberspace.

The province’s scores for transparency, public disclosure, and satisfaction among people and businesses all reached 100 per cent.

Vĩnh Long has also launched the province's Brand and Technology Space Information portal, attracting 598 businesses and with 1,034 products and 259 technology solutions.

It helps connect technology supply and demand and businesses promote their products, and encourages the development of the science and technology market.

As part of its digital transformation efforts, the province has integrated 12 shared information systems.

It continues to operate its data integration and sharing platform, document management and administration system, official email service, paperless meeting platform, open data system, and IOC.

The document management and administration system now has more than 49,000 user accounts, while the official email system has more than 36,500 accounts.

The paperless meeting system has improved the efficiency of the administrative machinery.

Members of the public complete administrative procedures at Châu Thành Commune, Vĩnh Long Province. — VNA/VNS Photo

But there are also challenges because resources for investment in science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation are limited.

It has also yet to attract many major technology enterprises.

The quality of human resources, particularly at the grassroots level, remains inadequate and uneven in terms of qualifications and skills.

Speaking at a conference to review implementation of Resolution No 57 late July, Trần Văn Lâu, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, said: "The results must be reflected in tangible products that deliver practical efficiency and real value."

Authorities at all levels should focus their efforts on removing bottlenecks in digital transformation across the political system, he said.

He also urged faster disbursement of funding for implementation, and strengthening training in digital skills, innovation capacity, and artificial intelligence applications.

All agencies should accelerate the review, cleansing, standardisation, and effective use of data, he said.

They should ensure cybersecurity and data security, expand the application of artificial intelligence, digital assistants, and automation in public administration, and make better use of shared databases to improve services for people and businesses, he added.

Huỳnh Văn Hào harvests ripe sweet thanh trà fruit at his orchard in Đông Thành Ward. The high-quality fruit is grown using advanced farming techniques. — VNA/VNS Photo

Targets

Vĩnh Long will further promote research and the application of technology, particularly in agriculture and agricultural processing, and strengthen links between research institutions and production and business activities.

It will develop a network of innovation centres to enable businesses to adopt new technologies, commercialise research outcomes and improve economic competitiveness.

As part of its digital transformation goals, the province aims to expand 5G network coverage to around 50 per cent by the end of this year.

All information systems at the Data Integration Centre are also scheduled to be deployed on a cloud computing platform by year-end.

All eligible public services and administrative procedures will continue to be provided online, regardless of administrative boundaries.

More than 80 per cent of administrative procedures are expected to be processed entirely online, while more than 90 per cent of people and businesses are expected to be satisfied with the handling of administrative procedures.

The province will develop digital infrastructure and expand data connectivity and sharing for electronic identification and authentication.

Cashless payments, electronic health records, digital school records and other digital services will also be promoted. — VNS