PM Phuc orders annual staff reduction of 2% until 2021
Phuc ordered ministers, heads of agencies and provincial leaders to strictly execute Resolution 39 NQ/TW of the Party Central Committee, Decision 2218/QD-TTg of the PM and Government Decree 108/2014/ND-CP on personnel cuts.
In the new Directive 02/CT-TTg, Phuc said ministries, agencies and localities that have yet to draw up such staff reshuffle plans must do the job quickly and decide percentages of reduction in 2017-2021.
Phuc told ministries, agencies and localities to review functions and responsibilities of their departments and units in a way that ensures one organization is responsible for one job. The tasks which do not need to be handled by or are inefficiently implemented by State agencies should be outsourced to the private sector.
Ministries and provinces are mandated to consider closing any unnecessary intermediaries and merging departments and divisions, the directive says. Representative offices in the central and southern parts of the nation shall not be part of ministries and other Government agencies.
The establishment of general departments, departments and offices must be restricted, according to the directive. Ministries and agencies will have to be restructured to slash unnecessary intermediaries and those responsible for multiple sectors.
Meanwhile, provinces and cities must review public service units and find ways to enhance their efficiency.
The directive said each ministry, agency and locality must slash the number of staff by 1.5% to 2% a year from now until 2021.
Those that did not reduce their workforce in 2016 are tasked with cutting staff by at least 3% this year compared to the 2015 layoff plans.
If they have to set up new organizations, they must make sure the workforce will not exceed the quota.
The same thing must be done in case new schools, classes and medical centers are established. If they could not keep the headcount unchanged, they must consult the Ministry of Home Affairs which will then turn to the Government for approval.
State officials who do not meet requirements in terms of ethics, capability and health will be dismissed.
Heads of agencies and organizations must categorize their staff and assess their performance annually to ensure their layoff schemes would be carried out in line with regulations.
The Prime Minister ordered ministries, agencies, provinces and cities to adopt a financially autonomous mechanism for public service units to improve the efficiency of their tasks and the quality of their services for residents.
Public units should be able to manage their regular expenditures and investments, and make decisions on personnel issues provided that they are needed for their functions and responsibilities.
In public service units where the Government entirely or partially funds their regular expenditures, ministers, heads of Government agencies and provincial chairmen will decide on their organizational structure and workforce in line with Resolution 39-NQ/TW.
Ministers, heads of State agencies and provincial chairmen should be held responsible if they fail to execute the approved layoff plans.
