To date, the province has completed the arrangement of 129 commune-level administrative units into 45 new units, a reduction of 84 units, equivalent to 65.1%. The arrangement was carried out methodically, publicly, and democratically, ensuring organizational uniformity and suitability for each locality’s specific characteristics, and was approved by the National Assembly Standing Committee. The arrangement of specialized provincial-level agencies was also implemented synchronously. After the arrangement, the number of specialized agencies under the provincial People’s Committee is now 14, a reduction of 5 agencies (26.3%); the internal organizational structure was streamlined, reducing 42 divisions, 1 sub-department, and 5 public service delivery units.

Communes and wards have completed the arrangement of their apparatus and personnel according to the two-level government model. 45/45 communes and wards have established Public Administration Service Centers, ensuring a unified organizational model and operation as regulated.

As for public service delivery units, the provincial People’s Committee has directed their review and rearrangement towards being streamlined and effective. To date, the entire province has 10 provincial-level public service delivery units. The Vocational Education - Continuing Education Centers, Agricultural Service Centers, Regional Health Centers, and Land Registration Office branches, which were previously under district-level management, have been rearranged to ensure a reduction in intermediaries and to avoid overlap.

Along with restructuring the apparatus, the province has paid special attention to the suitable arrangement and placement of officials. To date, the entire province has placed 23,741 officials, civil servants, and public employees, including 4,327 officials and civil servants and 19,414 public employees. Of these, 6,878 work at the provincial level and 16,863 at the commune level. Communes and wards have had their leadership apparatuses consolidated according to the two-level government model. The contingent of professional civil servants has been assigned from the pool of commune-level civil servants (before the arrangement) and district-level civil servants who were transferred down, ensuring each professional division has at least 5 civil servants.

To support the communes after implementing the two-level government, the provincial People’s Committee recently seconded and reinforced 97 civil servants and public employees to the grassroots. This includes 52 people from the provincial level and 45 health station heads to assist communes in the health sector, along with 17 school public employees seconded to work in commune-level civil servant positions, contributing to strengthening local management and operational capacity.

Currently, the provincial People’s Committee has issued 111 decisions announcing 1,847 administrative procedures, of which 934 are decentralized and 899 are under the authority of ministries and branches. The total number of administrative procedures in effect is 2,106, including 1,802 provincial-level procedures and 409 commune-level procedures (with inter-level connection). 45/45 communes and wards have completed the establishment of specialized agencies and Public Administration Service Centers. These units have issued working regulations, assigned specific tasks for each position, consolidated personnel, and are strictly implementing the process for resolving administrative procedures.

After 4 months of operation, the commune-level Public Administration Service Centers are running stably, with a unified process for receiving, processing, and returning applications, creating convenience for people and businesses. In particular, communes and wards have promoted the application of information technology in receiving and processing applications, reducing resolution time, and improving service quality.

Chu Văn Bách, Chairman of the Thanh Nưa commune People’s Committee, said: “After 4 months of implementing the two-level local government model, the operation of the Thanh Nưa commune government apparatus has seen many positive changes. The organization and personnel are basically consolidated; operations and work handling are generally smooth and uninterrupted. Administrative reform and digital transformation have shown clear results, gradually serving the people and businesses better. The mindset of officials, party members, and the public is stable, with high consensus on the new model.”

Besides the positive results, the operation of the two-level government model still faces some difficulties that need to be overcome. Currently, most communes and wards lack resources for investing in information technology infrastructure. There is a great need for record digitization and data management equipment, while funding has not yet been allocated. The workload of communes and wards has increased sharply after the arrangement due to expanded areas, larger populations, and diverse management fields. Professional divisions such as Economics - Infrastructure - Urban Affairs, and Culture - Social Affairs have to take on many tasks, leading to overload. Some localities lack headquarters, offices, and official residences for officials. In some places, staff still have to work temporarily at two different locations, causing difficulties in coordination and operation.

According to the provincial People’s Committee’s assessment, after nearly 4 months of implementation, the two-level government model has begun to show clear effectiveness: the apparatus is streamlined, administrative discipline and order have been strengthened, and the efficiency of serving the people has improved. However, for the model to truly deepen, it is necessary to continue perfecting institutions and coordination regulations, and to strengthen decentralization and delegation of authority, creating conditions for the grassroots to be more proactive in management and operation. Along with this, the province will continue to prioritize investment in IT infrastructure, implement record digitization, and enhance the capacity of officials and civil servants. It will also petition the Government to support resources to accelerate the model’s completion.

Following these initial positive results, the province is continuing its efforts to make the model a solid foundation for a modern, service-oriented administration that meets the development requirements of the new era.