In a newly released report about online public services, the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) has again confirmed the view that people must be put at the center of digital government, and people’s satisfaction about services is the measurement of digital government effectiveness.

To date, all ministries, branches and localities have electronic information and public service portals that provide information and services to people and businesses. Over 97 percent of public services that meet requirements are provided online at level 4.

Level 4 public services allow users to fill in and send application forms to ward People's Committees entirely online.

According to MIC, the five localities with the highest number of online dossiers applied from January 1 to April 30 were Quang Ninh, HCM City, Lai Chau, Hoa Binh and Bac Ninh (55.25-86.80 percent). The top five localities with the lowest number of dossiers were Quang Tri, Hai Phong, Kon Tum, Bac Kan and Dak Nong.

HCM City, Hoa Binh, Quang Ninh, Ninh Binh and Bac Giang had the highest proportions of dossiers processed online. The figures were very low (2.72-5.76 percent) for five provinces – Hung Yen, Dong Nai, Nghe An, Bac Lieu and Quang Binh.

MIC pointed out that though initial  results have been gained, online public service efficiency remains low and the number of dossiers processed online is still modest. As of April 2022, the ratio of online processed document was only 24.89 percent.

Some localities have recently taken serious measures to improve online public service use efficiency. To encourage people to use online services, HCM City last year reduced fees by 50 percent, applied to six kinds of services.

Quang Nam has also decided to reduce fees by 50 percent this year applied to eight types of fees and five types of charges for those who settle administrative procedures through levels 3-4 online public services. 

As for Hoa Binh, the province in mid-February assigned targets for online document processing to 27 departments, divisions, branches and People's Committees of districts and cities. In 2022, the 27 units need to have a online document processing ratio of 55 percent.

In mid-March, the Khanh Hoa People’s Committee released a decision on level 3-4 online document processing ratios for departments and localities. The targeted ratios are 45-50 percent for units under the provincial committee; 35-40 percent for the units under district people’s committees; and 25-30 percent for units under ward/commune people’s committees.

Van Anh