Why did Bac Giang's provincial competitiveness increase 29 places?

Bac Giang Provincial Public Administration Service Center

This result shows strong progress in improving the investment and business environment when the PCI ranking improved by 29 places and the score increased by 8.06 points compared to 2021.

There are two indexes leading the country.

The PCI 2022 Index assesses the quality of economic management and administrative reform efforts, creating a favorable business environment of the governments of provinces and centrally-run cities in Vietnam. Thereby, promoting the development of the domestic private business community.

According to the 2022 PCI Index annual report, Bac Giang's PCI index ranked 2nd out of 63 provinces and cities with a score of 72.80 points (on a scale of 100), only 0.15 points behind the leading unit, Quang Ninh province. Bac Giang has made a spectacular breakthrough, improving 29 places and this is the first year Bac Giang has risen to the runner-up position in the national PCI rankings.

Regarding the 10 component indexes of the PCI report, Bac Giang has 9 component indexes that increased in score, including: "Legal institutions and security and order", "Fair competition", "Dynamism and pioneering of the provincial government", "Labor training", "Informal costs", "Business support policies", "Time costs", "Land access", "Transparency". One component index that decreased in score was "Market entry".

Among the component indices that increased in points, two indexes led the country, namely “Informal costs” and “Legal institutions and public order”. The three component indices “Dynamism and pioneering of provincial governments”, “Legal institutions and public order” and “Fair competition” had a strong breakthrough in both scores and rankings compared to 2021.

Of which, the component index "Dynamism and pioneering of provincial government" increased by 1.96 points, ranking 3/63 provinces and cities (up 58 places compared to 2021); the component index "Legal institutions and security and order" increased by 1.61 points, ranking 1/63 provinces and cities (up 39 places compared to 2021); the component index "Equal competition" increased by 1.33 points, ranking 2/63 provinces and cities (up 31 places compared to 2021).

Director of the Department of Planning and Investment of Bac Giang province Bui Thi Thu Thuy said that the above results are the efforts of the entire political system from the province to the locality, especially the determination in the direction and management of the province.

Since then, it has been affirmed that the investment and business environment of Bac Giang province has made strong progress, reflecting the consistent policy of "accompanying businesses" of the provincial government; building trust between the government and the business community; encouraging businesses to expand investment and business in the province.

Responsibilities of the leader

With the runner-up position on the PCI 2022 rankings, Director of the Department of Planning and Investment of Bac Giang province Bui Thi Thu Thuy said that the province always identifies improving the investment and business environment and improving the PCI index as the top priority, regular and continuous task; is an important solution to mobilize resources, promote production and business development, develop enterprises, promote socio-economic development of the locality and the province.

At the same time, it is also an affirmation of the image and position of the locality, the aspirations for development and advancement of the entire Party Committee, authorities at all levels and people of all walks of life in the province.

Therefore, to improve this index, Bac Giang province has directed strongly and implemented many synchronous solutions. Right from the beginning of the term, the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee issued a Resolution on improving the investment and business environment and raising the PCI index in the province in the period of 2021-2025.

The Provincial People's Committee has issued a plan to specify the tasks assigned by the resolution; in which, the drastic solution the province is implementing is to enhance the responsibility of leaders.

This is demonstrated through the fact that the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee has directly taken on the task of directing focal units to improve 3/10 PCI component indexes; the remaining 7 component indexes are directly assigned to 3 Vice Chairmen of the Provincial People's Committee.

Bac Giang is also determined to reform administrative procedures in an effective and practical manner. The province requires departments, branches and localities to cut at least 30% of the time to handle administrative procedures compared to current regulations, especially administrative procedures directly related to investment, production and business activities.

Departments, branches and localities conduct contacts, meetings and dialogues with businesses in the area at least twice a year. In addition, every quarter, the Department of Planning and Investment of the province coordinates with local business associations to summarize difficulties and problems and report to the Provincial People's Committee, at the same time, advise on solutions to promptly resolve difficulties and problems for businesses.

To enhance transparency in accessing information, immediately after the provincial planning was approved, the Provincial People's Committee developed an implementation plan; at the same time, organized an online contest "Learning about Bac Giang Provincial Planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050" thereby helping cadres, civil servants, public employees and people understand the policies and orientations for planning and development of Bac Giang province in the coming time.

Along with that, heads of agencies and units must promote the responsibility of setting an example and strengthening their responsibility in directing, operating, and inspecting the implementation of tasks, public services, discipline, and administrative discipline within the scope of assigned state management. Strictly handle heads of subordinate agencies and units who lack responsibility, allowing cadres, civil servants, and public employees under their direct management to harass and cause trouble for people and businesses.

The People's Committee of Bac Giang province continues to organize and implement a survey to assess the competitiveness of departments, branches, sectors and districts/cities (DDCI), thereby creating a driving force for strong, continuous and synchronous reform among sectors and levels, thereby creating a favorable, open and transparent investment and business environment.

In recent years, Bac Giang province has made strong and comprehensive changes in all areas of economy, culture, society, national defense and security. The economic growth rate and foreign direct investment (FDI) attraction have continuously been maintained in the group of leading provinces and cities in the country. In 2022, the province's economic growth rate (GRDP) reached 19.8% (nearly 2.5 times higher than the national average), the highest ever and ranked second in the country. In the first quarter of 2023, Bac Giang led the country in attracting FDI with more than 1.1 billion USD, accounting for nearly 20.3% of the total registered investment capital and increasing 5.2 times compared to the same period in 2022.

In order for Bac Giang to truly be an attractive and safe destination for domestic and foreign investors, in the coming time, Bac Giang will continue to focus on implementing solutions to upgrade the PCI index; in which, requiring heads of agencies and units to be proactive and spend more time researching, exchanging, and learning from the experiences of other localities to have breakthrough solutions in improving the indexes assigned to them and in charge.

Implement specific measures to spread and arouse the spirit of creativity, initiative and sense of responsibility of cadres, civil servants and public employees in performing public duties at agencies and units, aiming at the goal of building a service-oriented, democratic, professional, modern, clean, strong, streamlined, effective and efficient administration.

At the same time, include the results of improving the PCI index in the monthly reports of agencies and units; each quarter, the unit assigned as focal point is responsible for reviewing and evaluating the implementation results.

Every 6 months, the leaders of the Provincial People's Committee are assigned to organize a review and evaluation of the implementation results once. At the same time, the province continues to drastically reform administrative procedures in an effective and practical direction; promote decentralization and authorization in handling administrative procedures related to enterprises and investors.

The Department of Planning and Investment will advise the Provincial People's Committee to reorganize the Steering Committee for Investment Support and Business Environment Improvement. The Department of Industry and Trade, the Provincial Industrial Park Management Board, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, and the Department of Finance will monitor, inspect, and grasp difficulties and obstacles, and propose solutions to remove and support investors in infrastructure of industrial parks and industrial clusters during project implementation.

In addition, measures should be taken to deal with cases of slow implementation, prolonged construction time of infrastructure and project operation. Research and propose solutions to control infrastructure rental prices in industrial parks and industrial clusters; guide departments, branches and localities to effectively implement the provincial planning approved by the Prime Minister.

According toVNA