'New Vinh Long': 2-level government affirms effectiveness, spreads trust

(Chinhphu.vn) - After July 1, 2025, when the three provinces of Ben Tre, Tra Vinh and Vinh Long merged into a new administrative-economic unit called Vinh Long province, the two-level local government apparatus has operated stably, smoothly and effectively.

Chairman of Vinh Long Provincial People's Committee Lu Quang Ngoi inspects the operation of the apparatus in Long Huu commune - Photo: VGP/LS

This is not only a historic step in restructuring the development space of Vinh Long in particular and the Mekong Delta in general, but also a vivid demonstration of the Central Government's correct policy: Streamlining and improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the apparatus, bringing the government closer to the people.

Streamlined, smooth-running machine

Since early morning, the headquarters of the Trung Hiep Commune Public Administration Service Center (merged from Tan An Luong, Trung Chanh and Trung Hiep) has been bustling with people coming and going, and there is no longer a scene of people sitting around waiting for their names to be called. Mr. Nguyen Truong Son (in Go An hamlet, Trung Hiep commune) happily said: "I came to the commune to complete the paperwork to apply for a job for my son. I found the service spirit and working attitude of the commune officials to be very quick, enthusiastic and thoughtful; I no longer have to go back and forth many times or supplement the paperwork like before."

Mr. Nguyen Truong Son's story is not an isolated one. Right from the first day of the merger, the new Vinh Long provincial government has urgently completed the procedures for arranging, handing over, receiving public assets, and renovating the headquarters to ensure adequate conditions for officials from the three provinces to work. With 124 commune-level administrative units, including 105 communes and 19 wards, the province has rearranged its forces, ensuring that each commune and ward has a team of officials with basic training and reasonable arrangement.

Talking to the Government Electronic Newspaper, Mr. Lu Quang Ngoi, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Committee of Vinh Long province shared: "Immediately after the merger policy was issued, the province synchronously deployed plans to prepare headquarters, arrange budget, and improve infrastructure. Thanks to that, when officially put into operation, the new apparatus will operate smoothly and effectively."

Close to the people - better service

The two-tier local government model helps reduce overlaps and shorten administrative distances. People no longer have to go through intermediate levels, but interact directly with communes, wards or provincial levels if necessary. Many commune and ward officials commented that this is a "push" to help improve the service spirit of grassroots civil servants.

Ms. Nguyen Thanh Thao, a civil servant of Trung Hiep commune, confided: "At first, we had to relearn the process and get used to the new software when the data of the ministries and branches were not yet synchronized. The difficulties were real, but the provincial leaders clearly stated: The provincial level will come down to support the communes and wards, not leaving the grassroots confused. From then on, we felt encouraged and had more motivation to serve the people better."

In many communes, the Public Administration Service Center has become a "familiar address" for the people. Procedures such as business registration, household registration, social security, certification, land... are all received and results are returned faster than before. Some places have piloted returning results at home via public postal services. This not only saves time and costs, but also contributes to increasing people's trust in the government.

According to Ms. Chau Thi Kim Thanh, Director of the Vinh Long Provincial Public Administration Service Center, from July 1 to September 14, 2025, the Vinh Long Provincial Public Administration Service Center received 103,385 records on the province's Administrative Procedure Information System (TTHC), including 90,009 direct records and 13,376 online records. 49,116 records have been processed, the number of records processed before the deadline and on time is 38,815 records, reaching a rate of 79.03% (of which the majority of records were processed before the deadline of 38,804 records, 11 records were processed on time); 54,287 records are being processed.

One of the bright spots of Vinh Long is the effective implementation of non-territorial administrative procedures, creating conditions for people to carry out their administrative procedures in any commune in the province.

Up to now, Vinh Long has approved a list of administrative procedures that are not dependent on administrative boundaries in the province, including 1,734 administrative procedures (83%), which have been popularized and implemented in the province, creating favorable conditions for individuals and organizations to submit administrative procedures without boundaries, helping to save significant time and costs for people and businesses.

Currently, there are still 322 administrative procedures that have not provided online public services. Vinh Long is focusing on continuing to review, restructure processes, test, and integrate online public service provision on the National Public Service Portal to include them in the list of administrative procedures regardless of administrative boundaries, in order to strive to soon achieve a rate of 100% of administrative procedures regardless of administrative boundaries by November 2025 according to the direction of the Prime Minister .

People carry out administrative procedures at the Public Administration Service Center of Vinh Long province - Photo: VGP/LS

Digital advancement - the foundation for management innovation

In parallel with the reorganization of the apparatus, Vinh Long province has recently invested heavily in information technology (IT) infrastructure for 124 commune-level administrative units: from internal networks, high-speed transmission lines, to document management software, electronic one-stop shop, digital signatures, and data warehouses connected to the provincial level. Thanks to that, many communes and wards have started using online public services, reducing travel and shortening the time to process documents.

In Trung Hiep commune, Mr. Pham Quang Chien, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Commune Party Committee, said that thanks to the application of IT, the volume of documents processed per day has increased significantly, and delays have decreased significantly. People have gradually become accustomed to submitting documents online and looking up processing progress online.

In particular, the province has mobilized IT specialists from the provincial level to support communes and wards, "holding hands and showing work" to grassroots civil servants. This approach has been highly appreciated by both people and officials.

At the same time, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the commune has coordinated with the People's Committee of the commune to organize teams and groups of volunteers to support people in performing online procedures at the Public Administration Service Center, in order to reduce operation time and help people gain skills, and at the same time, continue to guide relatives and neighbors when performing online public services in the future more conveniently.

According to Ms. Tran Ngoc Thuy, Deputy Director of Trung Hiep Commune Public Administration Service Center, from July 1 to September 16, 2025, the Center received 986 applications. Of which, 843 applications were processed ahead of schedule, reaching 85.49%, 110 applications were processed on schedule, equal to 11.15%, and 33 applications are being processed.

Vinh Long has identified digital transformation as the pillar for the two-level government to operate effectively. Infrastructure has been upgraded, and human resource training is important. The past two months have shown that this model is on the right track, and further investment is needed for long-term stability.

Confidence spreads, people agree

At meetings with voters, many people expressed their high consensus on the policy of merging and abolishing the district level. They said that the new government is "closer to the people and operates more effectively". It is noteworthy that not only the people, but also the officials see this as an opportunity to "renew", increase responsibility and overcome old habits.

Sharing with the Government Electronic Newspaper, Mr. Pham Thanh Nam, Chairman of the People's Committee of Luong Hoa commune, said that the commune has been decentralized and delegated more authority, directly handling most of the administrative procedures related to people's lives. This has contributed to improving the management capacity, proactiveness, creativity and responsibility of the team of commune-level officials and civil servants. The commune government has been empowered to be more proactive in organizing the implementation of socio-economic development tasks and state management in the area.

"This facilitates the construction of e-government and digital government with data systems and management software directly connected from the province to the commune, creating connectivity, transparency and convenience in exploiting information, easily deploying online public services, gradually modernizing the administration, towards building a comprehensive digital government," said Mr. Nam.

Specifically, after more than 2 months of operation, the Public Administration Service Center of Luong Hoa Commune has received over 1,350 records from citizens who came to contact to carry out administrative procedures. In general, the civil servants of the Public Administration Service Center have received and promptly resolved all requests from citizens and businesses. In particular, the number of records/administrative procedures received, resolved and returned results before the deadline, on time accounts for a high percentage (over 99%), the number of records returned with results overdue accounts for a very low percentage.

Department and sector leaders also said that the merger creates more favorable conditions for planning and calling for investment. Instead of 3 provinces competing with each other, it is now a unified, large-scale entity, easily attracting infrastructure, industrial and logistics projects. This is an important premise for long-term socio-economic development.

Trung Hiep Commune organizes volunteer groups to support people in carrying out online procedures at the Public Administration Service Center - Photo: VGP/ Huu Chung

There are still challenges, but the direction is clear.

Despite many positive signs, reality also shows many initial difficulties. Some communes still lack specialized civil servants, especially in the fields of IT, land - construction, health, and education. The software system in some places is not synchronized, causing delays in processing documents. People and officials also need time to get used to not having a district level, having to interact directly with the provincial or commune level.

Chairman of Vinh Long Provincial People's Committee Lu Quang Ngoi frankly said: "We clearly identify this as a new model, without widespread precedent. The province regularly reviews and adds qualified personnel, synchronously completes the software system, and trains staff. The goal is that by the end of 2025, the operating apparatus will be increasingly stable and smooth, best meeting the needs of people and businesses."

Administrative reform experts also recommend that the new Vinh Long needs to continue promoting transparency and openness in management, decentralization, and close supervision to avoid overlap and waste. At the same time, propaganda must be stepped up so that people clearly understand their rights and responsibilities in the new model, and have a timely feedback mechanism when problems arise.

However, to fully exploit the potential of the new model, Vinh Long province needs to continue to supplement and train highly qualified staff, synchronously complete the IT system, strengthen inspection and supervision to ensure publicity and transparency in handling all administrative work. Only then will the goal of building a government "close to the people, for the people, serving the people" truly come into life.

That is also the driving force for Vinh Long to continue firmly on the path of reform, contributing to the Mekong Delta to transform more strongly, become more modern, and integrate more as expected by the Central Government and the people.

Le Son - Huu Chung

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/vinh-long-moi-chinh-quyen-2-cap-khang-dinh-hieu-qua-lan-toa-niem-tin-102250918102736259.htm