Bach Ha Commune (Nghe An Province): Overcoming all difficulties and challenges to adapt to a new operational model

Recognizing the importance of the two-level local government model, Bach Ha Commune has regarded administrative reform and digital transformation as two parallel pillars and driving forces for improving governance quality and service efficiency for citizens. Accordingly, the commune has prioritized allocating resources and investing in physical facilities and equipment to establish and operate the Public Administrative Service Center. The commune has upgraded its information technology infrastructure, adopted interconnected systems for data processing to ensure transparent, timely receipt, settlement, and delivery of administrative results. It has proactively developed plans, reviewed all administrative procedure (AP) handling processes, and clearly assigned responsibilities to each division and officer. At the same time, attention has been paid to arranging a team of officials with solid professional qualifications, good communication skills, professional working styles, and proficiency in information technology, who are always dedicated to guiding and clearly explaining procedures and documentation to citizens.

The Bach Ha Commune Public Administrative Service Center has effectively performed its role as the focal point for receiving and returning administrative procedure (AP) results, thereby contributing to enhancing the effectiveness of state management and facilitating convenience for the people.

According to statistics, after three months of operating under the new model, the Center received a total of 1,105 applications, including 41 applications submitted in person and 1,064 submitted online in the fields of land management, civil status, authentication, social policy, and business registration. A total of 948 applications have been processed (935 ahead of schedule, accounting for 98.6%; none on schedule; and 13 overdue, accounting for 1.4%). Most overdue cases occurred during the initial stage when the software system had not yet operated smoothly. There remain 55 unprocessed applications (all within the processing deadline), and 102 applications were returned to citizens due to incomplete or non-compliant information, mainly related to land procedures requiring consultation or appraisal from higher authorities. All applications have been updated on the electronic one-stop-shop software system, ensuring publicity, transparency, and easy tracking.

In addition, the Public Administrative Service Center has strengthened the application of information technology and expanded the provision of Level 3 and Level 4 online public services. The rate of online application submissions reached 95.78%, representing an increase of 4% compared to the same period in 2024. The data connectivity between the commune and the district and provincial levels has become increasingly seamless, thereby shortening processing time and reducing travel costs for citizens.

Officials on duty at the Public Administrative Service Center strictly comply with the code of conduct and provide attentive and considerate guidance to citizens. Special attention is given to assisting the elderly, people with disabilities, and low-income households when carrying out administrative procedures. The Center has organized a “Saturday for the People” day to handle administrative dossiers and procedures for citizens and enterprises. It has also provided guidance to residents on the processes and procedures for receiving and processing administrative dossiers, while publicly posting 100% of the procedures and forms on the information board.

The Public Administrative Service Center regularly conducts surveys to assess citizens’ satisfaction after the processing of administrative dossiers. The results show that over 80% of citizens are satisfied, of which 70% rated “very satisfied,” 10% “satisfied,” and 20% not fully satisfied due to waiting times in certain procedures, particularly in land, construction, and civil status areas, which remain slow. All legitimate feedback has been recorded, consolidated, and reported to the Commune People’s Committee for timely review and corrective action.

Besides the advantages, during the operation of the two-level local government, Bach Ha Commune has also encountered certain difficulties and shortcomings.

The greatest difficulty lies in the work overload compared to the number of civil servants. After the merger, the workload at the grassroots level has increased sharply, while human resources remain insufficient and limited. Bach Ha Commune currently has over 62 civil servants in service, still lacking nearly 20 officials. The insufficient number of civil servants, together with the need to handle a large volume of administrative dossiers on a regular basis, has created considerable pressure on the existing staff. In addition, personnel reassignment and reorganization have required some officials and civil servants to familiarize themselves from the beginning with new localities and duties, posing certain challenges during task implementation.

Mr. Nguyen Cong Truong, Deputy Secretary and Chairman of the People’s Committee of Bach Ha Commune, shared: In practice, under the current regulations on the functions and duties of commune-level professional divisions, the workload has been increasing both in scope and complexity, covering a wide range of areas such as economy, culture, society, urban management, natural resources and environment, social welfare, and administrative procedure settlement. Each civil servant is required to handle multiple tasks, some of which involve detailed and large volumes of work, leading to difficulties in ensuring both quality and timeliness. The nature of the work also demands that civil servants possess broad and in-depth professional knowledge, comprehensive analytical skills, and the ability to handle situations flexibly.

“Another challenge that Bach Ha Commune is currently facing lies in the limited technological accessibility of residents in this predominantly agricultural area. Since most residents are not proficient in using technology, officials often have to assist in entering and submitting dossiers, and even carry out the entire online procedure on their behalf. Despite the heavy workload, the administrative procedure processing system occasionally experiences interruptions or crashes, causing work disruptions,” said Mr. Nguyen Cong Truong, Deputy Secretary and Chairman of the People’s Committee of Bach Ha Commune.

This situation has created a dual challenge: on the one hand, the commune must implement digital transformation to modernize its administration; on the other hand, it must devote significant time and resources to assisting citizens in the “digitalization” process.

To address part of the human resource challenge, Bach Ha Commune has focused on sending officials and civil servants to training and refresher courses organized by the province, and arranging personnel in accordance with their job positions. The Commune Party Committee and People’s Committee have also strengthened efforts to grasp officials’ concerns, provide timely encouragement, and ensure ideological stability so that they can work with confidence. At the same time, the commune is studying specific mechanisms and policies to attract and retain talented personnel for the local administrative apparatus. Strengthening trust and achieving unity in awareness and action among the staff have played an important role in maintaining political stability and ensuring the effective implementation of local socio-economic development tasks.

From the practical implementation, assessment, and review after three months of operation, Bach Ha Commune has put forward specific proposals and recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of the two-level local government model in its area.

First, it is necessary to improve the institutional framework, strengthen decentralization and delegation of authority, and grant greater autonomy and initiative to grassroots governments within the scope of their functions and duties. This will allow commune-level authorities to operate with greater flexibility and dynamism in addressing emerging issues, while reducing dependence on and procedural delays from higher levels.

Second, greater attention should be paid to policies on remuneration, recruitment, and training of commune-level officials. It is essential to establish a salary, bonus, and allowance mechanism that is sufficiently attractive and commensurate with the workload and pressure, particularly for tasks related to digital transformation, in order to attract qualified personnel to work at the grassroots level and encourage their long-term commitment and dedication.

Third, it is necessary to intensify investment in digital infrastructure and digital transformation at the commune level. This should be regarded as a fundamental foundation for enhancing administrative capacity and governance efficiency, thereby bringing the government closer to the people, staying connected with them, and working in partnership with the citizens.

With its ongoing efforts to adapt and operate under the new model, Bach Ha Commune is demonstrating a strong commitment to building an efficient, streamlined, transparent, and modern service-oriented government. However, to overcome the remaining “barriers,” institutional breakthroughs are required, particularly in decentralization, delegation of authority, and incentive policies for local talents. Only by addressing these bottlenecks can Bach Ha Commune in particular, and grassroots-level local governments in general, establish a unified and well-functioning administrative apparatus, thereby creating a vital driving force for sustainable development in the coming period.