About to consider merging provinces and ministries to streamline the apparatus
This morning (October 31), the National Assembly discussed in groups the draft Resolution on organizing urban government in Hai Phong City; the establishment of Hue City under the Central Government.
Discussing in groups about the policy of establishing Hue City directly under the Central Government, General Secretary To Lam said that this content had been prepared in advance and the Central Government had also discussed and considered it.
The General Secretary emphasized that the most important thing is to base and compare it with the criteria of a centrally-run city. If all criteria are met, then the decision to establish it will be made, not based on emotions.
General Secretary To Lam emphasized another very important thing: there must be development prospects. When investing in the city, it is investing in the growth pole of the region, it cannot create a burden. Not to let the city become a city but the rural people feel the loss. Socially, if people keep flocking to the city, how to handle it? This is a huge pressure that needs to be resolved.
"Hue is worthy of becoming a city, but we must also share the difficulties that Hue has to face and overcome," the General Secretary said, adding that many other provinces are also striving to become centrally-run cities.
Regarding Hai Phong and several other cities, General Secretary To Lam said that many delegates were also very concerned about the urban government mechanism and the apparatus mechanism to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.
"We are also focusing on discussing this issue. We must streamline and make the state apparatus more effective and efficient," the General Secretary requested.
According to General Secretary To Lam, the Central Committee assessed that the apparatus is still cumbersome and ineffective, so it needs to be streamlined. If the apparatus is not streamlined, it will not develop.
"We have only been able to do it from the bottom up, merging communes and districts. The provinces, ministries, departments, bureaus, and central general departments have not been touched. If the central government can be streamlined, the provinces will be streamlined. When there are no more ministries, how can there be departments and offices? This is a very big problem, we must also take that into account. There have been many Central Resolutions talking about the organization of the apparatus," the General Secretary said and asked for a frank assessment of whether it is effective, efficient, and cumbersome.
Aiming for 35 hours a week, 4.5 days a week
Regarding the budget, according to the General Secretary, nearly 70% of the budget is currently spent on salaries, regular expenses, and activities. If the budget continues to be managed like this, there will be no money left for investment and development.
"If the country wants to develop, wants this project or that project, where will the money come from? If we feed each other, where will the money be for defense industry, security, poverty reduction, and social security?" the General Secretary said, citing examples of many other countries where only more than 40% is spent on salaries.
Expressing his impatience, the General Secretary said that one of the reasons why salaries cannot be increased in the near future is because the apparatus is still cumbersome. With the current apparatus, if salaries are increased, the amount of money spent will increase by 80-90%, and the budget will not be available for other things.
“We must streamline the apparatus, continue to reduce staff, and reduce regular expenditures to save resources for investment and development. I say a cumbersome apparatus is very difficult and hinders development,” General Secretary To Lam emphasized.
According to the General Secretary, if labor productivity increases, it will encourage a reduction in working hours. Previously, working 48 hours, 6 days a week, reducing it to 5 days, people are excited. Set a target of 35 hours a week, 4.5 days a week. If we can do that, people will be very excited.
"People must enjoy life, be happy, and spend more time on other things" - said the General Secretary.
To do so, we must reduce staff and costs. The General Secretary said that recently, when checking down to the ward and commune levels, some people did not want to convert to digital because "if we convert to digital, we will lose our jobs".
