Yesterday, November 4, the People's Committee of Khanh Hoa province issued a document directing the exemption of fees and charges for online public services when organizations and individuals submit administrative procedures online.
This is a concrete action to realize administrative procedure reform of Khanh Hoa provincial government.
Previously, from June 2024, Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Council issued a Resolution approving the policy of 100% exemption of fees and charges for organizations and individuals submitting administrative procedures online.
Thus, a series of administrative procedures for construction permits, business registration certificates, household registration, residence registration, land use right certificates, house ownership certificates, etc. will be free of charge. The implementation period is until December 31, 2025.
More than 1 year of application is enough for people to change their habits and master the skills of using information technology to carry out administrative procedures.
The issue is not only the amount of fees and charges that Khanh Hoa exempts for people and businesses, but more noteworthy is the way of real administrative reform. People no longer have to queue, do not do things directly, and are not "mainly harassed" when going to administrative agencies to do procedures.
Processing documents online also shortens time and saves effort for government officials. Limits negativity and the giving and receiving of "petty bribes" in the form of "grease".
Harassment and making things difficult for people and businesses when they come to do administrative procedures used to be common. Everyone knows and sees it, but to reform thoroughly is not easy. So much so that right in Khanh Hoa, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Tan Tuan had to commit to the business community that the locality would always roll out the red carpet to invite businesses to invest, including a "safe sand layer". (Mr. Tuan said at a meeting with businessmen and businesses to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Vietnam Entrepreneurs Day, October 13, 2024).
"There are always nails under the red carpet inviting investment" - that is the metaphor of businesses and investors when talking about the current situation of harassment and difficulties when doing administrative procedures. Leaders and heads of local authorities call for and promote investment with many preferential policies like a red carpet but administrative procedures are complicated. Spreading "a very safe and thick layer of sand" - as Mr. Nguyen Tan Tuan said is a specific commitment of Khanh Hoa.
However, the decision to waive fees and charges for online public services this time shows that the above commitment has gradually become a reality. Said and done.
Khanh Hoa's step-by-step reform in accordance with "say and do" is commendable and needs to be replicated.
