Lesson 2: There are still difficulties

In 2021, when implementing the merger of administrative units according to the Resolution of the National Assembly Standing Committee on the arrangement of district-level and commune-level administrative units in the period of 2019 - 2021, the whole province had 270 redundant commune-level officials and civil servants. After nearly 5 years of arrangement, localities have resolved to retire 8 people, streamline the payroll of 132 people, transfer 10 district-level civil servants, and arrange 104 people to other positions. Up to now, there are 16 surplus people, this surplus number must be resolved by 2024 according to regulations.

In fact, the arrangement of surplus commune-level cadres and civil servants has been completed early in some localities according to schedule, but many localities are still struggling to implement it and have not yet achieved results according to the set schedule.

In 2020, after the merger, Lung Than commune (Si Ma Cai) had 38 cadres and civil servants. Since then, although many measures have been taken to reorganize the apparatus and rotate cadres, there are still 28 cadres and civil servants (5 surplus cadres compared to regulations). The commune currently has 4 Deputy Secretaries of the Party Committee, in addition to the Deputy Secretary and Chairman of the Commune People's Committee. In order to assign work without overlap, the Commune Party Committee assigned 1 Deputy Secretary and Chairman of the People's Council, 1 Deputy Secretary in charge of organizing and building the Party, and 1 Deputy Secretary in charge of inspection and supervision. Quan Ho Than commune is also in a similar situation when there are two surplus key leaders, Deputy Secretaries of the Commune Party Committee.

If the administrative boundary merger is just a mechanical merger, then the organization and streamlining of the staff is extremely difficult. After the merger, Lung Than and Quan Ho Than communes have 85 cadres and civil servants. Up to now, there are still 15 surplus cadres, although the district is temporarily assigning tasks to 13 cadres, but this number of cadres is not in the total assigned staff; therefore, the locality is still waiting for instructions to calculate the salary and allowance regime.

In Sa Pa town, up to now, policies have been resolved and positions have been rearranged for 30 civil servants, with 5 remaining surplus people who are Deputy Party Secretaries in the communes of Hoang Lien, Muong Hoa, Thanh Binh, Muong Bo, and Lien Minh.

Looking back at the work of arranging the staff and civil servants in the communes with administrative boundary adjustments in the district in the recent period, comrade Nguyen Thi Nga, Deputy Secretary of the Bac Ha District Party Committee shared: In reality, the arrangement of staff and civil servants still arises but is inadequate. For example, transferring a party official to work as a state official is very difficult for them in terms of expertise. Especially the work of arranging the staff of mass organizations, because they are leaders in movements, elected by members and union members in the locality but now transferred to another commune. For example, a comrade who is the president of the commune's Women's Union, who was redundant after the merger of Lau Thi Ngai and Lung Phinh communes, had to be arranged to be the president of the Women's Union of Ta Cu Ty commune, a remote and difficult commune, with completely different ethnic customs and practices of women members... making it very difficult for the mobilization and propaganda work.

According to the report of the Department of Home Affairs, after nearly 5 years of implementing administrative unit arrangement, many localities have completed the arrangement of redundant cadres and civil servants, but there are still units facing difficulties and have not completed the arrangement, the reason is: After merging commune-level administrative units, the number of commune-level civil servants had to be reduced a lot at the same time, but at the same time had to streamline 2 positions/commune (according to Decree No. 34/2019/ND-CP). The redundant cadres and civil servants are mostly local people, well-trained, young, enthusiastic and want to continue to contribute to the locality for a long time. However, currently, the number of vacant positions in communes and agencies at the district level is very small due to the arrangement from 2020 to now, the number of vacant positions in districts must continue to be reduced in the period 2021 - 2026; Some vacant positions are not suitable for the qualifications of redundant civil servants; Therefore, arranging redundant staff is difficult.

Faced with this situation, the Department of Home Affairs has advised the Provincial People's Committee on a number of solutions, specifically: Districts and towns with surplus civil servants will review the number of civil servants who do not meet the standards of professional qualifications in the entire district to streamline the payroll. Then, they will continue to consider and arrange the surplus civil servants into vacant positions. If there are still surplus civil servants, consider assigning them to other districts (if the civil servants have a need and the unit has a suitable job position) or resolve the regime and policy of streamlining the payroll according to regulations. For surplus cadres (9 Deputy Secretaries of the Commune Party Committee): Continue to review vacant leadership positions to make arrangements (if appropriate) or arrange them to work as commune-level civil servants (If the unit still has a position and the cadres have a need), or resolve the streamlining of the payroll according to regulations.

Recently, the Provincial People's Council also organized a thematic supervision on this content, accordingly, the Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council also pointed out a number of shortcomings in the organization and apparatus arrangement in the recent period, especially that up to now, Lao Cai province has not issued related policies to support redundant civil servants and non-professional workers at the commune, village and residential group levels due to the arrangement according to Resolution No. 35, dated July 12, 2023 of the National Assembly Standing Committee. The Standing Committee of the Provincial People's Council also reported to the National Assembly Standing Committee to consider and extend the time for arranging and reorganizing civil servants and resolving redundant regimes and policies due to the arrangement of administrative units at the district and commune levels in the period of 2019 - 2021 to December 31, 2026.

Propose that the Provincial People's Committee direct specialized agencies to study and propose support policies for redundant civil servants and non-professional workers at the commune, village and residential group levels due to the arrangement of administrative units in accordance with the spirit of Resolution No. 37-NQ/TW of the Politburo , Resolution No. 35/2023 of the National Assembly Standing Committee to ensure compliance with local realities and in accordance with legal regulations. Have a plan to adjust the number of commune-level civil servants and public employees for district-level administrative units to arrange and organize redundant commune-level civil servants and public employees due to mergers (Si Ma Cai has 16 redundant civil servants and public employees); promptly promulgate standards for commune-level civil servants and public employees according to Decree No. 33/2023/ND-CP so that localities can unify and implement the streamlining of payroll; Early comment on the transfer of commune-level cadres (currently temporarily assigned to tasks at the commune) to become commune civil servants when the district has a written request for transfer (if there are still commune civil servant positions suitable for their professional training level).

Resolution No. 653/2019/UBTVQH14, on the arrangement of administrative units at district and commune levels in the period 2019 - 2021:

Article 9. Number of leaders, managers and staff of agencies, organizations and units after reorganization

1. When developing a project to reorganize administrative units at district and commune levels, it is necessary to evaluate, classify, plan to arrange and assign tasks to appropriate cadres, civil servants and public employees, determine the number of redundant cadres, civil servants and public employees associated with streamlining the payroll; the arrangement of the number of leaders, managers and redundant cadres, civil servants and public employees in new agencies, organizations and units must have a reasonable roadmap.

2. The provincial People's Committee shall decide on the list and number of job positions and continue to streamline the payroll and restructure the staff, civil servants and public employees according to the resolutions and conclusions of the Party, the regulations of the State and in accordance with reality. No later than 05 years from the effective date of the resolution of the National Assembly Standing Committee on the arrangement for each administrative unit, the number of leaders, managers and the number of civil servants and public employees in agencies, organizations and units in the new administrative unit shall be in accordance with regulations.

Final Lesson: Practical Lessons from the Grassroots

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/bai-2-van-con-nhung-kho-khan-post388101.html