Increasing 25 places, Ba Ria - Vung Tau enters the top 10 nationwide in the PAPI index

According to the leadership of the Department of Home Affairs of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province (BRVT), the evaluation content consists of 8 component indices: Citizen participation at grassroots level; transparency and accountability in explaining to citizens; control of corruption in public areas; administrative procedures; public service delivery; environmental governance index; and e-governance. The maximum total score for evaluating the PAPI index is 80 points.

According to the organizers, the annual announcement of PAPI index rankings by provinces and cities will better meet the increasingly higher demands of the people by providing opportunities for citizens to evaluate the effectiveness of government operations. Through this activity, it encourages governments to improve their service delivery, promote self-assessment for innovation, create healthy competition habits, and foster a culture of sharing experiences among local governments nationwide.

Since 2019, the ranking position of BRVT has made significant leaps. This is a commendable result for BR-VT province, contributing to the establishment of a civilized, friendly government; receiving high satisfaction from the people; and creating a favorable investment environment for domestic and foreign businesses.

Every year, the Department of Home Affairs collaborates with relevant agencies to analyze the results, identify areas of limitations, and advise the Provincial People's Committee (PPC) on solutions to maintain high-rated aspects while improving indices with lower results from the previous year.

For instance, concerning the index of accountability in explaining to citizens, the Department of Home Affairs of BRVT has advised the Provincial People's Committee (PPC) to propose that relevant agencies and units enhance legal assistance activities, legal consultation, and law dissemination. They organize activities of the Citizen Reception Section at the commune level to ensure effectiveness when citizens need to contact. Additionally, officials from the People's Council (PC), People's Committee (PC), and mass organizations are dispatched to meet citizens to record contributions, feedback, and provide clear answers and results. Alongside, functional agencies are required to strictly implement Government Decree No. 59/2019/ND-CP dated July 1, 2019, which regulates the responsibility of state agencies in explaining their tasks and delegated powers, ect.

Regarding the environmental governance index, localities collaborate with relevant sectors to continuously address environmental "hotspots" according to Announcement No. 1645-TB/TU of the Provincial Party Committee on conclusions at working sessions with districts, towns, and cities on the implementation results during the 2015-2020 term and Decision No. 1806/QD-UBND dated July 16, 2019, of the PPC on issuing the Action Plan to enhance the quality of life for BR-VT province's residents during the 2019-2025 period. Moreover, various levels and sectors concentrate resources to carry out tasks, preventive measures, improvements, and remedies for environmental pollution in the province, ect.

It is noted that BRVT continues to review and simplify administrative procedures (AP) in various fields, including land, construction, and justice... Publicly posting AP and rigorously implementing the receipt and result delivery of AP at reception and result delivery units, resolving AP in accordance with prescribed procedures and timelines. Strengthening citizen reception work, creating conditions for citizens to participate in dialogues at the grassroots level and contribute opinions on pressing issues. Commune-level People's Committees and departments and sectors also implement specific measures to improve citizen satisfaction, thereby enhancing the PAPI index in the coming years.

By Duc Trung