Happy and worried about PAR INDEX 2021

The results of the 2021 Administrative Reform Index (PAR INDEX) of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities have just been announced, showing that Hai Duong province ranked 19th out of 63 provinces and cities nationwide, up 11 places compared to 2020 (ranked 30th). However, the administrative procedure reform component index ranked 60th out of 63 provinces and cities.

The 2021 PAR INDEX results have shown clear progress, which is a joy, demonstrating the recognition of the Government's Steering Committee for Administrative Reform for the results and efforts in administrative reform in Hai Duong.

PAR INDEX is a composite index, including 8 component indexes: administrative reform direction and management; development and implementation of legal documents in the province; administrative procedure reform; administrative apparatus reform; building and improving the quality of cadres, civil servants and public employees; public finance reform; administrative modernization; impact of administrative reform on people, organizations and socio-economic development indicators of the province.

Of the 8 component indexes of the PAR INDEX in 2021, 2 indexes, namely the development and implementation of legal documents in the province and the reform of the administrative apparatus, ranked 2nd nationwide. The index of building and improving the quality of cadres, civil servants and public employees ranked 3rd nationwide. This is a very remarkable result because from 2018 to now, Hai Duong has only ranked 2nd-3rd nationwide in the above 3 indexes.

Besides the bright spots, there are some component indexes that are ranked low nationwide. The administrative reform direction and management index ranked 41st; the public finance reform index ranked 47th out of 63 provinces and cities.

It is very worrying that the Administrative Procedure Reform Index ranked 60th nationwide, only higher than the provinces of Bac Kan, Binh Phuoc and Phu Yen. Compared to 2020, the province's Administrative Procedure Reform Index in 2021 decreased by 34 places. In 2020, this index ranked 26th, in 2019 it ranked 52nd, in 2018 it ranked 58th nationwide. Thus, except for 2020, in recent years the province's Administrative Procedure Reform Index has been among the lowest in the country. The Administrative Procedure Reform Index - the index that many organizations and individuals expect the most in administrative reform - is still at a very low level, which is a sad thing, a big bottleneck. This also reflects reality and coincides with the province's assessments of the Administrative Reform Index of departments, branches, sectors and district-level People's Committees in 2021. Remember at the conference to announce the Administrative Reform Index of departments, branches, sectors and district-level People's Committees in 2021 held on March 9, the Provincial People's Committee assessed that the 2 indexes on administrative procedure reform and building and developing e-government and digital government had lower scores than the other 5 component indexes. There is also a situation where many departments, branches, sectors, district-level and commune-level People's Committees are slow to simplify administrative procedures; do not fully publicize administrative procedures as prescribed; are slow to advise on the abolition of administrative procedures that have expired; the rate of online public services at levels 3 and 4 is very low...

Analyzing the results of the PAR INDEX 2021, we can see that in the general joy of improved rankings, there is still sadness from very low component indices. This sadness is reflecting the difficulties and hardships of people when carrying out administrative procedures.

NINH TUAN