Two-tier local administration model: The Party’s will in harmony with the people’s aspirations (Part 1)

Since July 1, 2025, the former Dong Nai province was merged with the former Binh Phuoc province to become the new Dong Nai province, forming it one of the largest provinces and cities in the country in terms of population, area, and economic scale. Specifically, it holds the 9th largest natural area, 5th largest population, and 4th largest economy among Vietnam’s 34 provinces and cities. This merger has created significant opportunities for robust development in the future while simultaneously presenting great challenges of substantial governance across this vast and diverse territory. Overcoming these obstacles, within two months of implementing the two-tier local administration model, Dong Nai has swiftly stabilized its administrative apparatus and maintained uninterrupted state management and administrative operations. This initial success has established a crucial foundation for the provincial Party committee and government to continue leading and directing the operation of the new organizational model to be effective, powerful, and efficient; in alignment with the nation’s path toward a new era — an era of national resurgence.

PART 1: ENSURING UNINTERRUPTED WORK

Despite operating under a new administrative structure with significant  changes in organization and personnel, provincial departments and agencies in Dong Nai have demonstrated proactive spirit, ensuring uninterrupted operations and preventing delays for citizens.

Promoting the spirit of overcoming adversity

“Excuse me, what can I help you? I’ll guide you through”, said Le Dinh Truyen, a staff of the Provincial Land Registration Office working at the Provincial Public Administration Service Center, as he warmly greeted Vo Hong Dung (a resident of Trang Dai ward) who was holding a file of documents and approaching his counter. Upon learning that Dung had come to complete the procedures for removing a mortgage registration on his land use rights certificate, Truyen diligently walked him through each step of the documentation process.

Officials and civil servants diligently guide citizens through using online public services at the Provincial Public Administration Service Center. Photo: H.Thao

In less than 30 minutes, the procedure was completed. He said happily: “Today, coming here to complete the procedure, I felt truly at ease. The staff are enthusiastic and thoughtful. The documents were processed quickly. I’m satisfied”. This working ethos has been consistently instilled among all officials, civil servants, and public employees of the Department of Agriculture and Environment. Promoting that spirit, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment Dang Minh Duc affirmed that the Department will continue will continue closely monitoring the handling of administrative procedures in the fields of agriculture and environment, especially in the land sector. It will further implement training programs on processing administrative procedure as part of decentralizing authority to commune-level administrations. In addition, it will keep reviewing and ensuring the synchronization of land data systems across the province, establishing a foundation for local governments to process administrative procedures smoothly, seamlessly, and efficiently without disruption during the implementation of the two-tier local administration model ...

Officials of Dong Nai Provincial Department of Justice demonstrate a strong sense of responsibility and dedication in their work. Photo: Ho Thao

At the Department of Justice, around noon, officials and civil servants are still working. Deputy Director Nguyen Trong Tri stated that in order to ensure uninterrupted operations after the provincial merger, the department has swiftly stabilized its organizational structure while promoting a strong spirit of unity and responsibility among its 130 officials, civil servants, and public employees. “In implementing the two-tier local administration model, we’ve identified that specialized agencies must monitor situations and provide promptly support to resolve arising issues. We have established a Rapid Response Team led by a Deputy Director, with members including the chief of the office and heads of specialized divisions and affiliated public service units. The team operates around the clock to support 95 localities in executing judicial tasks,” stated Nguyen Trong Tri.

Assigned the critical mission of maintaining technological network infrastructure to ensure stable and effective operations for all government levels, since July 1, the team of over 100 officials, civil servants, and public employees at the Department of Science and Technology has maintained relatively high morale and worked diligently.

Deputy Director of the Department of Science and Technology Nguyen Minh Quang stated: “Departments and divisions are united and work with a strong sense of responsibility. To date, the province-wide shared software systems and specialized databases have been uniformly deployed, fundamentally ensuring the capacity to process work electronically”.

Great efforts and decisive actions

It is evident that after nearly two months of operating the two-tier local administration model, the entire political system of the province has demonstrated strong political determination, major efforts, and decisive actions to accomplish a substantial workload in strict accordance with the directives of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Secretariat.

At the recent conference reviewing one month of operating the two-tier local administration model, Comrade Vu Hong Van, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Head of the Provincial Delegation of National Assembly Deputies stated that to date, 100% of the key personnel of the organizational structure at all levels in the province have been fully consolidated and strengthened in accordance with regulations. The organization and personnel arrangements have been carried out in the province in a methodical, scientific, disciplined, democratic, and objective manner, ensuring the principle of “assigning personnel based on job requirements.” The organizational apparatus of advisory and assisting agencies for the Party committees, authorities, and the Vietnam Fatherland Front at the provincial and commune levels has stabilized its operations, basically ensuring connectivity and synchronization. The reception and return of processed records and administrative procedures for citizens and businesses have been conducted smoothly. Innovative and creative approaches have been implemented by Party committees, agencies, and units, particularly at the commune and ward levels, delivering practical efficiency in grassroots operations ...

Another remarkable point is that in Dong Nai, the operation of the two-tier local administration model has been closely linked with the leadership and direction of socio-economic development, ensuring national defense and security, and the province’s target of achieving double-digit economic growth. At the same time, the province has effectively implemented preparations for the Party Congresses at all levels for the 2025–2030 term, in accordance with the planned timeline.

Provincial Party Committee member and Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, Ho Van Ha, stated that the Provincial People’s Committee has assigned 109 specific tasks to 14 departments and sectors, with each official and civil servant performing their duties under the “ six-clear” principle: clear person, clear task, clear timeline, clear responsibility, clear outcome, and clear authority”, in order to materialize the target of achieving a 10% GRDP growth rate in 2025.

Residents receive thorough and attentive guidance from officials and civil servants when processing administrative procedures at the An Vien Commune Public Administration Service Center.

According to the Provincial Party Committee’s Organization Department, the initial successes in implementing the two-tier local administration model have provided Dong Nai with valuable lessons. Firstly, it is necessary to strengthen unity and consensus, ensuring the spirit of “One mind top to bottom”, “Smooth coordination across the board” in the entire political system, as emphasized by Comrade General Secretary To Lam. It is essential to effectively carry out ideological work to foster consensus among the people and the cadre force, thereby establishing the strongest foundation to overcome all challenges encountered during the operational process.

Despite certain challenges, the initial success in putting the new apparatus into smooth operation has clearly demonstrated the core leadership role of the Provincial Party Committee, the engagement of the entire political system, and the strong consensus among the local populace. This encouraging outcome in Dong Nai, alongside the significant early success nationwide after nearly two months of operating the two-tier local administration model, serves as a “powerful blow” that shatters the false and distorted narratives of hostile forces regarding the correct and historically significant policy of the Party and State.

In the time ahead, there will be a great deal of work to be carried out. In this process, it is inevitable that hostile forces and political opportunists will engage in disruptive activities to sow confusion among the people and undermine their trust in the Party and State. Therefore, alongside continuing efforts to effectively operate the two-tier local administration model, Party committees, authorities, every official, Party member, and citizen in the province need to identify and actively refute erroneous and hostile viewpoints, thereby contributing to safeguarding the Party’s ideological foundation and strengthening the great national unity bloc.

By: Ho Thao

Translated by: Tam Binh - Thu Ha