Legislators are discussing State apparatus reforms at the ongoing 4th session, focusing on measures to reduce the number of payroll.

* Legislator Cao Thi Xuan (Thanh Hoa province) talked about personnel redundancy at some ministries and agencies, thus payroll should be strictly managed. 

Xuan also called for prompt review and resolute reduction of inter-sector organizations at both central and local levels. 

* Legislators Nguyen Thi Phuc (Binh Thuan province), Nguyen Thanh Hong (Binh Duong province), Nguyen Lam Thanh (Lang Son province ), Nguyen Huu Cau (Nghe An province), Nguyen Truong Giang (Dák Nong), Cao Dinh Thuong (Phu Tho) suggested the Government direct ministries and agencies to review the legal system and the number of local-level public workers should be decided on the basis of population size. 

It is necessary to evaluate and classify public workers as a basis for payroll reduction. 

The legislators also suggested public workers' salaries should be reformed. Strict punnishments should be imposed on those who break moral and professional standards.

In addition, it is necessary to have specific regulations on local-level leadership positions, including Secretaries of provincial Party Committees and Chairmen of provincial People's Committees. 

* Legislator Phung Duc Tien (Ha Nam) spoke highly of the Government's efforts in e-Government development while calling for setting up interaction mechanisms between citizens and the public sector as a way to measure citizens' pleasure. 

He also called for dissolving units performing ineffectively. 

* Legislator Tran Van Lam (Bac Giang) emphasized the responsibility of local authorities and heads of agencies and units in reforming and improving the effectiveness of the the State apparatus. 

* Legislator Nguyen Ngoc Phuong (Quang Binh) called for rectifying "inflation of managerial positions" and strict handling of violations in personnel work. 

* Legislator Mai Thi Phuong Hoa (Nam Dinh province) said the role of the Ministry of Home Affairs should be further hightened to in the process of drafting and submitting Decree defining functions, tasks and organizational structure of every ministry and agency in order to prevent cumbersome and multilayered structures at ministries and agencies. 

*  Legislator Nguyen Hong Van (Phu Yen province) called for accelerating inspection and seriously handling violations of organizations and individuals in personnel appointment. 

*  Legislator Nguyen Minh Son (Tien Giang province) underlined that public payroll reduction requires joint endeavor of the whole political system.

* Legislator Pham Van Hoa (Dong Thap province) stressed the necessity of the State apparatus while urging the Legislature and the Government to review legal documents on State apparatus and develop a criteria system for transparent evaluation of cadres and clear identification of responsibilities of leaders.

* Legislator Pham Viet Luong (from Binh Phuoc province) said reducing public payroll is an "objective and urgent" requirement.

He called for prompt review of the organization of ministries and agencies, reducing middle management positions, units, resolutely rearranging and dissolving ineffective units, speeding up information technology, and strictly handling violations.

***

8h00': Opening the discussion day, Nguyen Khac Dinh, Chairman of the National Assembly's Law Commission hailed the great efforts made by the Government, ministries and localities in reforming the State apparatus between 2011-2016 with numerous significant achievements.

State management and governance had been gradually improved and citizens had positive comments on the quality of public services.

However, the Government'sstructural organization has been slowly reformed; administrative procedures remain combersome while the number of managerial posts at some agencies and localities is high and unreasonable.

The number of State workers tends to fall thanks to the Government's strict control.

Nguyen Khac Dinh, Chairman of the National Assembly's Law Commission presents a report on supervising the implementation of policies and laws on State apparatus reforms between 2011-2016. Photo: VGP 

At present, the Government has 18 ministries, 4 miniserial-level agencies and 8 Governmental bodies.

The total number of public workers in 2016 was 2,093,313, including, up 121,736 people from 2011.

Besides, the number of time-contract workers is 144,914, including 21,436 at central level and 123,478 at local level.

VGP