Receiving and processing documents of departments, branches and sectors at the Bac Giang Provincial Public Administration Service Center. Photo: Danh Lam/VNA
Avoiding the difficult task

Common manifestations are avoiding difficult, complicated, and sensitive matters in performing public duties and handling administrative procedures for people and businesses; delaying handling, leaving work pending; responding and giving unclear instructions on the viewpoints and opinions of one's own organization or unit; pushing work; asking for opinions on matters within one's authority; abusing the use of consultation to avoid responsibility.

This situation occurs in many socio-economic activities, clearly shown in public investment, bidding, land management, healthcare, construction, investment procedure settlement, business production for enterprises, provision of public services to people..., leading to reduced effectiveness and efficiency of management, reduced trust of people and enterprises, affecting the implementation of socio-economic development goals.

Regarding this issue, the Prime Minister has issued four official dispatches requesting to rectify and strengthen responsibility in handling work, discipline and order in state administrative agencies at all levels; review and promptly handle recommendations and proposals from localities, ministries and branches, improve the effectiveness and efficiency of direction and administration. At the same time, establish working groups on administrative procedure reform, review legal documents, and remove difficulties in public investment.

The Government has issued decrees amending regulations on assessment and classification of the quality of cadres, civil servants and public employees; management of people holding titles, positions and representatives of state capital in enterprises; disciplinary action against cadres, civil servants and public employees; encouraging and protecting cadres who are dynamic, creative, dare to think, dare to do, dare to take responsibility for the common good. Accordingly, it has added regulations on avoidance and shirking as the basis for assessment and classification, for consideration and disciplinary action; at the same time, institutionalizing the policy of encouraging and protecting cadres who are dynamic, creative, dare to think, dare to do, dare to take responsibility for the common good.

Currently, the Ministry of Home Affairs is urgently completing the draft decree amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree No. 115/2020/ND-CP (regulations on recruitment, use and management of civil servants), Decree No. 138/2020/ND-CP (on recruitment, use and management of civil servants), including amending and supplementing regulations on dismissal, dismissal and resignation of civil servants, leaders and managers to ensure consistency and consistency with Regulation No. 41-QD/TW of the Politburo.

Eliminate the perception that "if you don't do it, you can't do it wrong"

Proposing solutions, Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra said that Party committees, authorities of agencies and units need to focus on political education, ideology and public ethics; raise awareness and responsibility of cadres, civil servants and leaders in proactively and actively performing assigned tasks and powers; seriously implement Party resolutions associated with studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and lifestyle and the responsibility to set an example for cadres and Party members, especially leaders and leaders and managers at all levels.

Strictly implement the Prime Minister's directives and telegrams on strengthening discipline in state administrative agencies and in handling work of ministries, agencies and localities.

“Eliminate the perception among some officials and civil servants that 'if you don't do it, you can't do it', 'it's better to stand before a disciplinary council than a trial council' which is emerging and is a type of 'self-evolution' that seriously hinders development. Arouse the self-respect, political courage, sense of responsibility and sense of serving the people of officials and civil servants”, Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra emphasized.

She also said that ministries and branches need to step up the review, propose supplements and improve institutions and policies, especially in the field of socio-economic management, which still faces many difficulties and obstacles in practice; in which, focusing on strengthening decentralization and delegation of power associated with power control. Implement Decree No. 73/2023/ND-CP (regulations on encouraging and protecting dynamic, creative cadres who dare to think, dare to do, dare to take responsibility for the common good), and at the same time research to institutionalize this policy into the Law on Cadres, Civil Servants and the Law on Public Employees. Implement the new salary policy according to Resolution No. 27-NQ/TW; have measures and policies to encourage and reward substantially based on performance and results of work.

The next solution is to continue reviewing and perfecting legal regulations related to the performance of public duties of cadres and civil servants; amending and supplementing the working regulations of agencies and units to ensure clear definition of functions and tasks; assigning specific and clear responsibilities to each affiliated agency and unit; responsibilities of the head and each cadre, civil servant, and public employee according to job position.

At the same time, continue to review and minimize administrative procedures for people and businesses, promptly resolve administrative procedures in the electronic environment, promote digital government and digital administration. Provide specific regulations on public ethics and tighten public service discipline and order, strengthen inspection and examination of public service activities.

Timely commend agencies, organizations and individuals who do well and strictly handle cadres and civil servants who do not fulfill their duties and responsibilities, lack responsibility, or are afraid of making mistakes in performing public duties; replace and transfer cadres with limited leadership capacity and who do not meet the requirements of assigned tasks.

Along with that, research the work of recruitment and management, especially the evaluation of cadres and civil servants according to criteria and specific products. Effectively use the evaluation results as a basis for arranging, using, appointing, rewarding and disciplining cadres and civil servants; promote the implementation of policies to attract and create cadres from excellent graduates and young scientists. Promptly dismiss and allow resignations for those who do not complete their tasks; handle the responsibility of the head if in the agency, unit or locality there is still a situation where cadres and civil servants avoid, push back, work half-heartedly, and are afraid of responsibility and do not dare to do.

According to the Minister of Home Affairs, it is necessary to clearly define the responsibilities of the heads of agencies, organizations and units in performing public duties. The role of the head in setting an example and the leadership and guidance role are decisive factors in discipline, order and success in performing the tasks of the agency or unit. Pay attention to building a political environment, a cultural environment in the workplace, creating motivation and trust for cadres and civil servants to work.

Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra proposed mobilizing the entire political system to synchronously implement strong, drastic and effective solutions with the determination to push back the fear of making mistakes, lack of responsibility and not daring to do things when performing public duties. Promote the supervisory role of the National Assembly, National Assembly deputies; the Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations in overcoming and pushing back the situation of cadres, civil servants and public employees shirking responsibility, avoiding responsibility and being afraid of making mistakes in performing public duties.

The Minister of Home Affairs also requested that inspection, investigation, prosecution and trial agencies continue to study and classify violations and wrongdoings according to their nature, level and motive. If there is no personal gain, embezzlement or corruption, they should be more tolerant, lenient and humane in order to create a synchronous mechanism and spirit of encouragement and protection for dynamic, creative cadres who dare to think, dare to do and dare to take responsibility for the common good.
According to VNA