Vietnam parliament okays to pilot new urban admin model in Hanoi

The Vietnamese government will pilot a new public administration model in Hanoi after it has been authorized by the National Assembly (NA) on November 27, local media reported.

Accordingly, the new administration model will abolish People’s Council in 177 wards of 12 districts and Son Tay town for the tenure 2016 – 2021.

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The metropolitan area will have only two levels of administration: city and district. Wards under districts are ruled by People's Committees and without People’s Council. Rural areas still retain the model of three levels of administration (city, district, commune).

Wards in Hanoi will not have People's Councils but People’s Committees consisting of a chairman, two deputy chairs and members in charge of military and police affairs. Members of the People’s Committees are appointed and dismissed by the chair of district or town.

This pilot civil service model will help streamline the government apparatus, and handle urgent issues faster, clearly define the leaders’ responsibilities, reduce the payroll and save public budget.

Many NA delegates supported the project. Nguyen Thi Quyet Tam, former chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council, suggested that a similar pilot model should be applied in Ho Chi Minh City as it is the biggest city of Vietnam.

Earlier, at a conference in the capital city on January 22, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc lauded the Hanoi Party Committee, People’s Council and People’s Committee for actively and carefully working out the model via consulting with ministries and agencies.

Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Hoang Trung Hai said a steering committee was established in February 2018 to thoroughly study the model. It had held eight seminars and working session with scientists and intellectuals to acquire their feedback on the model.

The city also held seminars from the grassroots level and consulted with ministries and National Assembly committees.

The pilot also looks to strengthen rural administration in towns, communes and districts while renew decentralization mechanisms and activities of the Party, Vietnam Fatherland Front and mass organizations at communal and district levels.