Prime Minister: There is a situation of pushing work, fear of mistakes, fear of responsibility

Illustrative photo. (Source: VNA)

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has just signed and issued Official Dispatch No. 280/CD-TTg on rectifying and enhancing responsibility in handling work of ministries, agencies and localities.

The telegram sent to ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government agencies; and chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities clearly stated that the Law on Organization of the Government, the Law on Organization of Local Governments, and the Government's Working Regulations have stipulated the functions, tasks, powers, and responsibilities of each level of government from the central to grassroots levels, defining the principles of ensuring the implementation of a unified, smooth, continuous, democratic, modern, honest, effective, efficient state administration that serves the people and is subject to people's inspection and supervision.

However, recently, in reality, in some ministries, agencies, localities and a number of cadres and civil servants, there has been a situation of avoiding and pushing work, being hesitant, afraid of making mistakes, afraid of responsibility, not daring to advise, propose handling work, not deciding on work within their authority; there are cases of pushing work to higher-level agencies or to other ministries and agencies, lacking close, timely and effective coordination between ministries, agencies and localities...

The consequences lead to the work processing being prolonged, hindering and reducing the effectiveness and efficiency of the direction and administration of authorities at all levels; in some places, it is very stagnant, reducing the trust of people and businesses in state agencies, affecting the implementation of the set socio-economic development goals.

The causes of the above situation are both objective and subjective, but the subjective cause is the main one; the awareness, consciousness, and responsibility of a number of cadres and civil servants in complying with the law and working regulations are still limited, not meeting the requirements of the task; the work of monitoring, urging, and inspecting the implementation of public duties has not received due attention...

To rectify existing shortcomings and limitations, enhance responsibility, the spirit of daring to speak, dare to think, dare to act for the benefit of the country and the people in ministries, agencies, localities, cadres and civil servants; overcome the situation of shirking and avoiding responsibility in handling work; ensure discipline and administrative discipline and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of direction and administration, the Prime Minister requests Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of Government agencies to thoroughly grasp and fully and seriously implement the Government's Working Regulations issued together with Decree No. 39/2022/ND-CP dated June 18, 2022 of the Government.

The Prime Minister requests to directly, proactively and actively resolve work within the functions, tasks and management authority of ministries and agencies; decide on work within authority and not submit to the Government, Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister work within the authority of Ministers and Heads of agencies in accordance with the provisions of the Government's Working Regulations.

The Prime Minister requests that Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, and Heads of Government agencies take personal, direct, and comprehensive responsibility before the Government, the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Ministers, and before the law for matters within their authority, assigned, authorized, and tasked.

Do not transfer work under the authority of one's ministry or agency to another ministry or agency; do not handle work determined to be under the authority of another ministry or agency; return documents to agencies, units, or localities for comments if they are not within the authority or within the authority of the agency or unit requesting comments.

When handling work, the Minister and Head of the presiding agency must proactively and actively coordinate effectively with the Minister and Head of the agency related to the functions and tasks of their ministry or agency. Do not seek coordination opinions from unrelated or unnecessary agencies, which will affect the progress of work handling. The ministry or agency being consulted has the responsibility to respond on time, with clear opinions; do not respond generally, irresponsibly or avoid responsibility.

In case the consulted ministry or agency fails to respond or is slow to respond within the prescribed time limit, it shall be determined that it agrees with the opinions and proposals of the consulted agency in accordance with the provisions of the Government's Working Regulations.

The agency that collects opinions shall issue a written notice and the ministry or agency that does not have an opinion or is slow to respond shall be responsible before the law, the Government and the Prime Minister.

For documents, proposals, and projects submitted to the Government and the Prime Minister that still have different opinions among ministries and agencies on the main contents of the project, the Minister and Head of the presiding agency must promote personal responsibility, proactively work directly with the Minister and Head of the agency that has different opinions to discuss and reach agreement before submitting to the Government and the Prime Minister in accordance with the provisions of the Government's Working Regulations.

The Chairman of the People's Committee of a province or centrally-run city shall proactively and actively perform all duties and powers as prescribed by law. He shall be responsible for deciding on matters within his/her authority or being delegated or authorized as prescribed by law; shall not submit or report on matters within his/her authority to the Government, the Prime Minister, ministries and central agencies; shall not abuse the use of consultation with central agencies to avoid responsibility; shall promptly review local tasks and work for timely consideration and decision within his/her authority and within the time limit prescribed by law, especially for matters that have been delayed or prolonged.

Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of Government agencies, Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities focus on reviewing, promptly amending and supplementing the process of assigning and organizing the implementation of tasks and work at agencies and units under their authority, cutting down and simplifying unnecessary processes and procedures; specifically, individualizing the authority and responsibility of collectives and individuals in each stage of the work processing process, absolutely not allowing the shirking or evasion of responsibility, ensuring that work under their authority must be handled quickly, promptly, and shortening the implementation time.

Strengthen the inspection of public service activities, especially surprise inspections. Promptly review, replace or transfer to other jobs for officials and civil servants with weak capacity, who do not dare to do, avoid, push away, lack responsibility, delay and do not meet the requirements of the work assigned by competent authorities.

In case of shirking, evasion, lack of responsibility leading to delay or failure to decide on issues and tasks within the authority, the responsibility of the relevant collective and individuals must be reviewed and handled in accordance with the regulations of the Party and the State. Strictly handle acts of harassment, abuse, corruption, and negativity.

Illustrative photo. (Source: VNA)

Timely and appropriately commend and reward agencies, collectives, cadres and civil servants who are resolute in performing their duties, completing their tasks well, daring to speak, think, act, be proactive and creative for the common good.

The Prime Minister assigned the Minister of Home Affairs to preside over and coordinate with the Ministry of Justice, the Government Inspectorate and relevant ministries and agencies to urgently review and propose solutions to perfect legal provisions to create a safe and complete legal environment and corridor for ministries, agencies, localities, cadres and civil servants to confidently perform their public duties as prescribed; at the same time, specify the process and individualize the responsibilities of collectives and individuals in performing public duties, ensuring that there is no evasion or shirking of responsibility in handling work; report to the Prime Minister in May 2023; urgently complete the draft Decree on encouraging and protecting dynamic, creative cadres who dare to think, dare to do, dare to make breakthroughs for the common good, and report to the Government in June 2023.

Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government agencies, and Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities shall thoroughly disseminate and seriously implement this Official Dispatch to each unit, cadre and civil servant under their management, resolutely overcome the situation of shirking responsibility, avoiding responsibility, not daring to do, not daring to advise, propose, not daring to take responsibility in agencies, units, cadres and civil servants, shortening the time for handling work and improving the effectiveness and efficiency of direction and administration.

See full text of telegramhere

According to VNA