Ho Chi Minh City: Joining hands to build a people-centered digital government

Ho Chi Minh City is promoting the construction of digital government associated with the development of digital citizens, towards a modern, transparent and service-oriented administration, in which people are the center of the digital transformation process.

In parallel with modernizing the government apparatus, Ho Chi Minh City sets the task of developing digital citizens as a breakthrough solution, turning people from beneficiaries into active participants.

If digital government is the “other half” of the transformation process, digital citizens are the foundation for the system to operate smoothly.

Digital citizens are not only users of online public services but also those who are able to proactively interact, respond and participate in social governance on digital platforms. This requires the synchronous implementation of many programs and solutions.

"Go to every alley, knock on every door"

To build an effective digital government, it is necessary to clearly identify the "digital skills gap" in society. Even in the small and medium-sized enterprise sector, 62% admit to a shortage of human resources with digital skills and 37% are still confused about where to start.

The situation in residential communities is even more complex with multi-layered barriers in psychology, habits and access to technology.

Recognizing the above barriers, Ho Chi Minh City has identified digital citizens as an important pillar in building a digital government. Thereby, the City has implemented many breakthrough initiatives, approaching the issue from the grassroots level with the motto of being close to the people, aiming to train mass digital citizens through the technology socialization movement, developing friendly and easy-to-use applications.

In Xuan Hoa ward, the Community Digital Technology Team is considered the core force, the "extended arm" of the local government in propagating, guiding, and supporting people and businesses to access and use digital technology in online public services in the context of operating a two-level local government.

Sai Gon Ward is one of the localities in Ho Chi Minh City that has effectively implemented electronic authentication to serve the people. (Photo: Huu Duyen/VNA)

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Dung, Head of the Department of Culture and Society of Xuan Hoa Ward, said that the purpose of establishing the Community Digital Technology Team is to bring e-government and digital government closer to people and businesses.

The forces will "go to every alley, knock on every door" to support and guide people to install applications related to online public services, guide them to register for level 2 identification accounts, pay taxes or register for medical examination and treatment online... Thereby, increasing the proportion of citizens with knowledge and skills to interact with the government in cyberspace.

Recently, the City has been strongly promoting the "Digital Literacy for All" movement to equip people with technological knowledge and skills to move towards the vision of "every citizen is a digital citizen", aiming for 100% digital citizens by 2026.

According to Master Tran Duc Su, Deputy Director of the Center for Innovation and Technology Transfer, Ton Duc Thang University, "Digital Education for the People" is a movement of special significance in the period when the City is determined to build a digital government, a modern and serving administration.

The target audience is the elderly or small traders and people who have little access to technology.

“The spirit of “Digital Literacy for the People” is that those who know will teach and guide those who do not know, and those who know a lot will teach those who know less, which will create an open and widespread movement and create a great pillar in digital government and smart cities,” Master Tran Duc Su emphasized.

People experience public service applications at the "Digital Education for All" training course. (Photo: Huu Duyen/VNA)

People were also very excited and enthusiastic when participating in the training sessions on "Digital Literacy for the People". Ms. Vo Anh Tuyet (68 years old, Xuan Hoa ward) shared: "At our age, we often have little opportunity to access digital technology, especially digital applications that are necessary in people's daily lives such as: VNEID, ETAX and non-cash payment applications... Therefore, when participating in training and instructions on how to use technology, I am very excited, trying to master the applications on the phone to better serve my life and work."

Similarly, Mr. Nguyen Duy Trinh (70 years old, Xuan Hoa ward) said that equipping people with digital skills and knowledge in the spirit of Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, dated December 22, 2024 of the Politburo on "breakthrough in science and technology development, innovation and national digital transformation" is practical, serving the need for online administrative procedure registration.

This is a meaningful policy in the context that the Party and State are paying great attention to developing science and technology, building digital government and modern government to serve the people most effectively.

People are well aware that equipping themselves with knowledge and skills in applying technology and artificial intelligence is a necessary condition to turn themselves into true digital citizens in the digital age.

Encourage people to interact with the government

The ultimate goal of building a modern administration is not only to equip people with the skills to use online public services, but also to equip them with the skills to meaningfully interact digitally with the government, becoming proactive partners in urban governance. When people are proficient in digital skills, they not only reduce the burden on the administrative apparatus but can also participate in policy making, monitor government activities and become "social sensors", helping to report urban issues through applications such as Portal 1022.

Mr. Nguyen Hung Hau, Chairman of the People's Committee of Xuan Hoa Ward, said that receiving people's feedback through Portal 1022 has greatly helped the State management agency, bringing about effective social management in a large and populous area after the merger.

People interact with robots at the Saigon Ward Public Administration Service Center. (Photo: Huu Duyen/VNA)

“The ward has a handling process; assigning officers to immediately go to the base, the scene of the incident when there is a complaint from the people to record, grasp the situation and handle it immediately. After handling, promptly report the results to Portal 1022.

Up to now, 100% of the incidents reported on Portal 1022 have been directed and resolved, with no pending or prolonged cases,” Mr. Nguyen Hung Hau added.

Master Nguyen Tuan Anh, Public Administration Expert, said that it is necessary to encourage and create mechanisms to encourage people to interact with the government, empowering people to master technology.

When citizens truly master technology, they will no longer passively wait for the government to serve them, but can proactively make recommendations, monitor or respond on digital platforms. That is modern democracy where citizens are both users and co-creators with the government.

A modern digital government cannot operate effectively without competent digital citizens. Therefore, in parallel with modernizing the apparatus, Ho Chi Minh City needs to focus on the task of developing digital citizens, turning people from passive beneficiaries into active participants.

With the viewpoint of taking "people as the center", bringing public services closer to the people, more convenient and transparent, recently, the City Police have piloted the model of "Digital Citizen Station" in Binh Trung ward.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Hai, Deputy Head of the Department of Administrative Management of Social Order (PC06), Ho Chi Minh City Police, through the "Digital Citizen Station," people can access and perform public services right at their place of residence, helping to save time and costs; reducing pressure on officials and civil servants.

Mr. Nguyen Chi Thanh, Chairman of the People's Committee of Binh Trung Ward, informed that the implementation of the "Digital Citizen Station" demonstrates the spirit of initiative and creativity in implementing Project 06 and the national digital transformation program. This is not just a simple administrative reform but a change in management thinking, towards a smart city.

The police force set up a service counter at the Xuan Hoa Ward Public Administration Service Center to assist people in activating level 2 identification accounts. (Photo: Huu Duyen/VNA)

Digital government and digital citizens are two parallel pillars in the journey to create a modern, professional and service-oriented administration of Ho Chi Minh City.

One side streamlines the apparatus, increases administrative efficiency, the other side enhances people's capacity in interaction and supervision. Combining both, the City will build a modern, transparent and effective administrative model; contributing to fundamentally solving the human resource problem as well as improving the quality of service to the people./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/tp-ho-chi-minh-chung-tay-xay-dung-chinh-quyen-so-lay-nguoi-dan-lam-trung-tam-post1070002.vnp