Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh and delegates visit the Lego factory model, Binh Duong province

In early 2022, Binh Duong province was determined to enhance the business environment and develop the business community. The province strived to have more than 6,500 new companies; reduce corporate bankruptcies or suspensions; and diminish input costs, opportunity costs and informal costs for businesses and citizens.

The province paid attention to promptly supporting people and businesses to restore production and business operations, flexibly adapt to the epidemic; and raise PCI, PAPI, PAR and SIPAS rankings. At the same time, the province researched and developed a set of criteria for the District and Department Competitiveness Index (DDCI).

In 2021, Binh Duong province ranked 6th in PCI rankings with a total score of 69.61 points to stand among best performers. This was a remarkable result because the province was an epicenter and hard hit by the COVID-19 epidemic.

Immediately after the pandemic was controlled, the Provincial People's Committee asked all levels and branches of government to make master provincial planning, land-use planning for 2021 - 2030, and district construction planning with best quality, methods, science and consistency. At the same time, the province actively devised a plan for industrial zone development for the 2021 - 2030 period, with a vision to 2050, to create a clean land fund for new investors and integrate it into the provincial planning to attract high-quality human resources to live and work in the province.

Besides, the province focused on building a transparent and friendly investment environment; stepped up settlement of administrative procedures regarding business registration, investment, land, construction, tax, customs, dispute, judgment enforcement and bankruptcy.

Binh Duong province deployed a reporting system for individuals to send complaints and suggestions, brought procedures to the National Public Service Portal and reformed the single-window mechanism. Furthermore, it received and responded to complaints and recommendations concerning agencies and localities, promptly removed difficulties and obstacles, ensured legitimate rights and interests of people and businesses.

In 2021, Binh Duong province ranked 13th out of 63 provinces and cities in PAR Index released by central authorities after scoring 87.87 points on a 100-point scale, leading the Southeast region. Currently, all administrative procedures are settled at the Provincial Public Administration Center and administrative reception units at district and commune levels. By June 30, 2022, all district administrative agencies established public administration service centers.

The Provincial Public Administration Center delivered 1,159 provincial, district and commune-level public services of Level 3 and Level 4, reaching 60.59% (1,015 public services of Level 4 and 144 public services of Level 3). All online public services were built on Eform electronic forms. Public services of Level 3 and Level 4 generated 545 records online.

Moreover, digital transformation is also executed. Many agencies established steering committees for digital transformation and developed digital transformation plans and projects, including Education, Health, Home Affairs, Agriculture, Industry and Trade sectors. The province held a ceremony to announce the establishment of an intelligent monitoring and control center (IOC). Administrative agencies surveyed the current state of databases, data connectivity, integration of software modules and data types currently managed to create display indicators for 14 fields piloted to be connected to the IOC Center.

In the first eight months of 2022 (from January 1, 2022 to August 31, 2022), administrative agencies at all levels received and processed 2.5 million administrative records. By September 5, 2022, the Provincial People's Committee received 1,405 complaints and recommendations; processed and responded to 638 of them (45.41%); and considered handling 767 of them.

Compared with other localities, Binh Duong reportedly has good infrastructure for administrative reform. In a working meeting with the Government Inspectorate in October 2022, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Vo Van Minh said, in the coming time, Binh Duong province will continue to review and unify implementation process and time of settling each administrative procedure, which will be submitted to the National Public Administration Center; review and arrange the organizational apparatus of administrative agencies at all levels; focus on solutions to improve and enhance PAR INDEX, PAPI and SIPAS indicators; review and assess Digital Transformation Index in related industries and fields. The province will strive to be a Top 10 reformer of administrative procedures in 2022.