Photo for illustration. VNA/VNS Photo

 HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has approved a public service workforce plan for 2021.

Accordingly, the total number of officials, civil servants and public employees, excluding those at the Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Defence and at commune level, will be streamlined to 249,650, a reduction of 3,867 compared to this year.

Of the number, 247,344 people are to be employed by ministries, sectors, localities and organisations, while 1,068 others will work at representative offices abroad.

The Minister of Home Affairs has been tasked with assigning workers to relevant agencies in keeping with the plan.

According to the ministry, as many as 40,500 officials, civil servants, public employees, and workers were cut in 2015 and 2018, following a plan to streamline State agencies and downsize public staff. Of them, nearly 35,000 retired early, while 5,483 were made redundant. — VNS