Ha Noi (VNA) – Since it began in 2003, the “one-stop” policy has become one of the most effective solutions to accelerate the reform of administrative procedures, according to Vu Hoe, Deputy Director of the Public Administrative Reform Department under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
It has contributed to the simplification and transparency of the relationship between state administrative agencies with organisations and citizens as well as the working process itself.
It has also meant lower costs and more convenience for people and enterprises.
Civil servants are now required to be more responsible while fulfilling their duties under the policy, creating a good relationship with people and businesses, he said.
By late 2006, almost all of 256 departments nationwide have carried out the “one-stop” policy, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs. In several cities and provinces such as Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Phu Tho and Tra Vinh, the policy has been applied not only in the relationship between administrative bodies with people and businesses but also among administrative agencies.
The mechanism originated from the “one-door, one-seal” model of Ho Chi Minh City which leads the country in administrative procedure reform. Since 1998, the policy has been applied in all districts of the city, said Nguyen Trung Thong, deputy head of Ho Chi Minh City ’s steering board for administrative reform.
Satisfactory results have been seen in some bodies that are sensitive to people and enterprises like customs and taxation. The General Department of Customs has established a steering committee to implement the “one-stop” policy led by a vice director of the department. The department has actively simplified and publicised administrative procedures, fees and charges as well as made the working process shorter.
Relating to tax procedures, the time to grant tax codes has been lessened to 8 days from 30 days thanks to the agreement between the General Department of Taxation and the customs agency.
The taxation sector has applied the “one-stop” policy with the Ministry of Public Securities and the Ministry of Planning and Investment when carrying out procedures on business registration, tax registration and seal granting. The time for these procedures has shortened from 30 days to 12-15 days.
Despite satisfactory results in some aspects and localities, many people and businesses have still complained about the low speed of implementing the policy. The implementation process might bear other troublesome procedures, they said.
To bring the “one-stop” policy into full play, there must be the determination and synchrony of the entire political system because this is a fierce struggle against conservative thinking in order to build a democratic, transparent and modern administration.
Creating a breakthrough in administrative reform is one of the government’s key tasks in 2007, in which the “one-stop” policy must be implemented thoroughly to create the most favourable business environment for enterprises and help improve the relationship between administrative bodies with people and businesses.
Pham Chi Lan, senior advisor to the Prime Minister’s Research Commission, said “we cannot miss a chance when the national administration is facing new challenges and opportunities to implement a strong, fast, synchronous and thorough reform, meeting requirements of the international integration.”-Enditem
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