Of these, 73,245 officers retired before the official retirement age (81.77 percent), while 16,182 quit their jobs immediately (18.06 percent).

The National Assembly Standing Committee on August 19 reviewed a report from the Supervisory Delegation and approved a resolution on "policies and laws on the innovation of the organizational and management system, improving the quality and efficiency of operations of public service units in 2018-2023".

The report found that in 2015-2021, many public non-business units were restructured and organized, which reduced overlapping of functions among units. The number of units cut was higher than the targeted 10 percent stipulated in Resolution 19.

According to the government, as of December 31, 2021, the total number of public non-business units had been cut by 7,449 to 48,442 compared with 2015 (- 13.33 percent).

In localities, the number of public non-business units decreased by 13.46 percent, reaching the set target, but 20 cities and provinces had unit reductions of less than 10 percent, including Binh Duong province (0.19 percent) and HCM City (1.2 percent).

Meanwhile, the cuts were higher in other localities, including Son La (30.81 percent), Yen Bai (29.06 percent) and Hoa Binh (28.93 percent).

At the central level, the number of public non-business units decreased by 7.4 percent, lower than the targeted 10 percent decrease. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) had staff cut by 26.67 percent, and the Ministry of Public Security (25 percent) and Ministry of Information and Communications (24.24 percent).

In 2021-2023, the results were still lower than expected with 846 units cut compared with 2021 (1.75 percent).

The reduction of the units at central level were accelerated, and the 10 percent target may be attainable by 2025. By contrast, the reductions at the local level slowed down (1.67 percent).

According to supervisors, this poses a great challenge to the task of reducing 10 percent of units in 2021-2025, because public non-business services are mostly in localities.

State payroll

Regarding public employees receiving salaries from the state budget at public non-business units in 2015-2021, 1,789,585 staff have been cut (- 236,366), or 11.67 percent.

Of these, the number of employees in ministries and branches fell by 40,221, or 25.19 percent, while the number of employees in localities fell by 196,145, or 10.51 percent, higher than the target of 10 percent.

As such, the decrease in staff receiving salaries from the state budget at the central level was higher than the drop in localities.

Supervisors found that central agencies had more public non-business units cut than localities, but had a higher number of staff cut.

In 2021-2023, the number of staff in ministries and branches receiving salaries from the state budget fell by 11,021, or 9.22 percent compared with 2021. Some ministries and branches had bigger decreases, including the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) (- 28.81 percent), Ministry of Transport (MOT) (- 34.43 percent) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) (- 70.07 percent)

As for localities, the supervisors noted that the reductions in the last two years were modest. Particularly, 12 cities and provinces saw staff increasing during the period.

The average reduction in the number of employees receiving salaries from the estate budget in localities in 2021-2023 was just 1.42 percent, which was far from the targeted 10 percent reduction.

The supervisors also found that as of December 31, 2023, the total number of staff enjoying certain preferences under the personnel streamlining policy at ministries, branches and localities totalled 89,576 (5,917 of ministries and branches, or 6.6 percent, and 83,659 in localities, or 93.4 percent)

As many as 73,245 officers took early retirement, or 81.77 percent, 16,182 resigned from the posts immediately, or 18.06 percent, and 58 quit their jobs after attending vocational training, or 0.06 percent. 

Meanwhile, 91 officers moved to organizations which don’t receive regular salaries from the state budget, which amounted to 0.1 percent of personnel.

The re-arrangement, restructuring and streamlining were carefully followed for the posts of accountants, school healthcare practitioners at preschools and general schools, and car drivers, security guards and service workers at public non-business units. 

Thu Hang