Dong Nai builds a people-centered administration

With great aspirations, long-term vision and innovative thinking, the Central Government has introduced a series of groundbreaking, revolutionary policies to lay the foundation for the nation’s development in the new era – the era of national rise.

Officials and civil servants at Dong Nai Provincial Public Administration Service Center handle administrative procedures for citizens. Photo: Ho Thao

A particularly notable decision is the merger of provinces, cities, communes, and wards, alongside the removal of district-level administration, thereby implementing a two-tier local government model. This policy clearly demonstrates a strategic determination to reform the State apparatus, creating a transformative step toward a government that truly serves the people.

Strong transformation

Since July 1, 2025, the two-tier local government model has officially come into operation nationwide. Provinces and cities, after the administrative restructuring, now function with a consolidated organizational system. This marks a milestone for a new stage of development, with a streamlined, effective, and efficient two-tier local government structure serving people better.

Earlier, in implementation of resolutions, conclusions and directives of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, the National Assembly, and the Government on restructuring the state apparatus and administrative units, the number of centrally governed provinces and cities was reduced from 63 to 34. The number of commune-level administrative units decreased from 10,035 to 3,321. This has been the largest administrative boundary adjustment at the provincial level in modern history. Under this, the new Dong Nai Province was formed through the merger of the former Dong Nai and Binh Phuoc provinces, with a total of 95 commune-level units.

To ensure smooth and effective operations at the grassroots level, the State needs to provide modern governance training for communal officials, particularly those newly reassigned from higher levels. Delegation of authority must be clear to avoid communes from being overburdened with tasks beyond their capacity. Investment in digital infrastructure and administrative reform are essential to enable efficient work for local officials and convenience for citizens and businesses. Stronger public and Fatherland Front oversight is also required to ensure officials remain close to and serve the people.

Assoc. Prof. TRAN QUANG TOAI, Chairman of the Dong Nai Association of Historical Sciences

 

Assoc. Prof. Tran Quang Toai, Chairman of Dong Nai Association of Historical Sciences stated that restructuring the state management apparatus would improve efficiency in administrative and social management while saving budgetary resources through reduced administrative units and streamlined staffing. The leaner system and reassignment of capable personnel would bring government closer to the people. Being closer and listening to the people will obviously allow the state personnel to gain a better understanding of the citizens’ daily lives and more timely respond to their needs.

In the previous three-tier model, commune-level government mainly handled administrative tasks. Under the new two-tier model, the commune level becomes the most important, empowered with 1,060 tasks across multiple fields. This not only cuts out intermediate steps and shortens processing times but also increases the autonomy of commune and ward governments, helping citizens access public services more conveniently and quickly.

Learning that from July 1, the issuance of first-time land use rights certificates would be handled at the commune and ward level, Ho Lieu, a resident in Minh Hung ward expressed her delight: “Land procedures are among the most important, directly tied to citizens’ rights. Shifting the land procedures to the commune, the closest to the people, will greatly benefit us, sparing us repeated trips to district or provincial offices and saving time and effort.”

Working for the sake of the people

Thanks to public consensus and support, as well as determination, solidarity, responsibility, and unity across the political system, the implementation of the two-tier local government model in Dong Nai has proceeded smoothly.

Officials and civil servants at the An Vien Commune Public Administration Service Center always attentively handle citizens’ paperwork. Photo: Ho Thao

Deputy Director of the Department of Home Affairs Ha Thanh Tung said that the reception and delivery of administrative results for citizens and businesses had been running smoothly. The organizational apparatus of advisory and assisting bodies for Party committees, governments, and the Fatherland Front at both provincial and commune levels has stabilized and ensured consistency. All key positions across the provincial system have been consolidated as required. This has laid the foundation for the State to effectively promote economic development, improve people’s material and spiritual life, and achieve the Party’s goals for the province in the coming period.

Positive grassroots-level changes are also vivid testaments to the spirit of reform and the commitment of Dong Nai’s authorities to stay close to the people and spare no efforts to serve them in the best possible way.

At Binh Tan commune, in addition to weekday office hours, officials and civil servants also work on Saturdays and Sundays to process citizens’ applications as quickly as possible. For them, the satisfaction and smiles of residents after their administrative procedures are completely handled are always the motivation for the staff to keep working diligently every day.

Nguyen Ba Viet, Party Committee Secretary and Chairman of the People’s Council of Binh Tan Commune, said: “The two-tier local government model is aimed at being close to the people and serving them in the best possible way. We have been striving continuously to build a government that serves citizens, working toward the satisfaction of people and businesses. This includes accelerating administrative reform, especially the application of online public services at levels 3 and 4, building a contingent of cadres who respect the people, stay close to the people, understand the people, learn from the people, and take responsibility for the people."

With the province’s largest population, Tran Bien ward – now a “super ward” – has been making daily efforts to build a people-centered administration, particularly by improving the service capacity and attitudes of local officials.

Ho Van Nam, Member of the Provincial Standing Party Committee, Party Secretary and Chairman of the People’s Council of Tran Bien ward, said: “In the new structure, responsibilities are strongly delegated from the provincial to the grassroots level, increasing the workload for commune and ward governments. At the same time, rapid advances in science, technology, and digital transformation require commune-level officials not to work passively, merely following assigned tasks and reporting results, but to be truly proactive, creative, and quick to adopt IT. They must think comprehensively, have cross-sector knowledge, problem-solving skills, and be able to work independently. They also need to make flexible and rapid decisions to meet the demands of daily realities at the grassroots.”

The efforts of all levels and sectors, along with the results achieved across the province, are commendable. However, many challenges still lie ahead, requiring persistence, resilience, and creativity from every official and agency, and especially the continued support and cooperation of local people.

By: Ho Thao

Translated by: M.Nguyet-Thu Ha