On December 16, the Government Standing Committee met on the implementation of the two-level local government model.
At the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra suggested that ministries and branches need to focus on urging and guiding the arrangement of public service units, focusing on the education and health sectors, in accordance with the direction of the Politburo.
At the same time, guiding the establishment of public service units providing essential public services at the commune level, especially in the fields of agriculture, environment, construction, to ensure the provision of multi-sectoral, multi-field services, meeting the needs of the people.
The Ministry of Finance focuses on solving problems related to surplus public assets, vehicle procurement, and working conditions.
For localities, the Deputy Prime Minister requested localities to urgently review and complete the provincial planning; reorganize the apparatus and ensure the team of cadres, civil servants and public employees to meet the requirements of local government operations at the commune level.
The Government leader said that the Ministry of Home Affairs will soon advise on amending Decree 150 to be issued before December 25, so that localities can base on the amendment decree to arrange specialized departments under the People's Committees at the commune level, and at the same time arrange and strengthen the team of cadres and civil servants from the provincial to the commune level.
Localities focus on arranging public service units, while completely resolving arising issues related to assets, facilities, and records archiving.
Regarding training and fostering cadres and civil servants, localities proactively determine practical needs and organize implementation. The Ministry of Home Affairs urgently completes the Project on training and fostering the team of cadres and civil servants to be able to implement it from January 1, 2026.
The Deputy Prime Minister especially noted the need to promote internal administrative procedure reform associated with digital transformation. In reality, internal administrative procedures in many localities are still complicated, while some localities have not paid due attention, but have recommended that the Central Government reform procedures.
"The localities have the right to proactively adjust the decentralized procedures accordingly, and should not rely on or depend on the Central Government," said the Deputy Prime Minister.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, regarding the number of specialized departments under the People's Committees at the commune level, Decree 150 currently stipulates the number of specialized departments under the People's Committees at the commune level, including 3 specialized departments and public administrative service centers.
However, in the process of operating the two-level local government, there are many proposals and recommendations to increase the number of specialized departments under the People's Committees at the commune level to promptly resolve procedures and serve the essential needs of the people.
Therefore, based on the synthesis of criteria for classifying administrative units, the draft Decree amending Decree 150 stipulates that the establishment of additional specialized departments must meet the criteria according to the classification of administrative units in wards and communes of type 1 with over 35,000 people and in special zones with over 35,000 people.
Localities shall base on the actual situation to determine the number of specialized departments under the People's Committee at the commune level, ensuring that it does not exceed the average of 4.5 departments and equivalent at 1 commune-level administrative unit.
