Administrative reform is always defined as a key task by the Department of Construction of Lang Son province to improve the sector’s administration and contribute to local socioeconomic development to boost the investment environment. Vietnam Business Forum has an interview with Mr. Nguyen Sy Tan, Director of Lang Son Construction Department, on this issue. Duy Binh reports.

How have administrative procedure reform and business support been implemented by the Department of Construction to boost the investment environment of Lang Son province?

Currently, administrative reform and administrative procedure reform in particular picked up at the Lang Son construction sector. Every year, the Department of Construction issues an administrative reform plan with specific tasks, particularly the review of administrative procedures. The department transferred all 51 administrative procedures within its jurisdiction to the Lang Son Public Administration Center, including 25 to the single-window division and 26 to interagency single-window division. All 51 procedures are carried out via public postal services. All are done via online public services (30 procedures at Level 3 and 21 procedures at Level 4). The department reviewed and reduced the settlement time of administrative procedures within its jurisdiction: Reducing by 372 days the total of 1,128 days needed to perform administrative procedures provided by the Department of Construction, reaching 32.95%. It strictly complied with regulations on receiving and settling administrative procedures under the single-window mechanism and ensured publicity, transparency and timekeeping.

All administrative procedures provided by the department are publicly and clearly listed at the reception division and posted on its website. Surveys on public and business satisfaction about administrative procedures provided by the department averaged 95% or higher.

The department reviewed and reassessed personnel quality, especially those directly dealing with administrative complaints, to create training programs to raise its employees’ professional qualifications, knowledge and working manner and actively guide businesses to carry out investment project procedures under the construction law.

In order for Lang Son to become an attractive destination for investors, what solutions does Lang Son need to implement?

In order for Lang Son to become an attractive destination for investors, all levels and branches of authority need to implement consistent administrative reform solutions, enhance competitiveness and provide an enabling and equal business environment for investors. This is considered a key and regular task that needs to be further disseminated to upgrade the awareness of public employees, strengthen administrative discipline, and resolutely and strictly handle officers harassing companies.

The department will continue to make strong improvements in the business investment environment, facilitate and encourage organizations and individuals to engage in business investment and development, and support enterprises to access production resources. At the same time, the agency will work out and execute more specific mechanisms and policies to support and attract investment into locally advantageous sectors in line with the province’s investment promotion policy. It will continue to attract all resources from the State budget and social resources through domestic and foreign investment channels to build infrastructure to facilitate rapid and sustainable socioeconomic development.

Concerned bodies need to actively coordinate with each other to deal with difficulties faced by enterprises and provide a healthy and effective business investment climate to make Lang Son a leading light in investment attraction and business development.

In the coming time, what will the Lang Son Department of Construction do to further improve the local business environment?

We will continue to actively guide businesses to carry out their project procedures under construction laws; review, promptly advise and revise unsuitable plans; announce approved plans for urban development; review administrative procedures, reduce the time of fulfilling administrative procedures, with focus placed on planning and construction appraisal, construction licensing; strictly punish violators of construction laws to ensure equality and rights of righteous enterprises; and supervise agencies and localities as per Resolution 35/NQ-CP dated May 16, 2016 of the Government on business support and development.