Deputy Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People Committee Tran Vinh Tuyen has directed telecommunications giant FPT to prepare a plan for compiling data on the population, housing, and enterprises in the city.

Nguyen Hue Road, HCM City.

Every year the city sets aside budget funds for creating and maintaining the application of technology in government agencies.

The People’s Committee said that by doing so the city will improve its investment environment, enhance the competency of administrative agencies, and make the policy making process more transparent.

Moreover, spending on technology application in government agencies helps the city identify, punish and prevent corruption. It also strengthens links between government agencies.

FPT has been requested to create systems that are convenient for citizens, enterprises and State management and that are suitable with the city’s established information technology infrastructure.

It also has to work with the city’s Department of Information and Telecommunications to research the need for e-government in other departments and districts.

The plan must identify prioritized tasks and long-term tasks.

The city has asked all districts and departments to support FPT and others involved to complete the plan as soon as possible.

One of the greatest challenges in building e-government is that the understanding of some leaders at government agencies remains limited, Mr. Tuyen told local media.

Some agencies are reluctant to apply technology, which has caused difficulties in administrative reform and in curbing harassment and opaque activities at agencies.

He expressed concern that a lack of transparency would restrain economic development and affect the people’s belief in the government.

In the 2016-2020 period the city is to finalize the task of creating e-government in the city, providing online public services in many areas.

Ho Chi Minh City is also accelerating the integration and connection of databases among different agencies.

Mr. Tuyen said the city targets that 100 per cent of all official documents sent in city agencies are electronic documents, except for confidential documents.

The city is implementing the use of technology in pressing issues such as land, construction, insurance and civil status.

Video conferences will be expanded to rural areas of the city, such as Cu Chi, Can Gio, Binh Chanh, and Nha Be districts.

It also aims having from 20 to 30 per cent of all enterprises registering new businesses via the internet before October 1.

Mr. Tuyen said that the city not only focuses on building modern technological systems such as management software and technology infrastructure but will also train “e-government staff” who can manage the systems smoothly.

The city will also promote and improve people’s ability to access the new technology, creating “e-government citizens”, he said.

The People’s Committee has assigned different tasks to leaders of departments and districts and Mr. Tuyen believes that with strict inspection by the city that e-government will be fully implemented shortly.

Under Resolution No. 36a Vietnam targets that 100 per cent of documents sent to government agencies will be done so electronically by the end of this year.