People's Councils increasingly affirmed their role as State authorities that represent the people's will, aspirations, and rights to mastery

A national conference was held in Ha Long City on February 21 to review the operations of People’s Councils of provinces and centrally-run cities in 2022, with the participation of representatives from the provincial and municipal People’s Councils nationwide.

The event was co-chaired by National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, Permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Vo Van Thuong, Permanent NA Vice Chairman Tran Thanh Man, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang and Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People’s Council Nguyen Xuan Ky.

In his closing remarks, NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue said that in 2022, Vietnam faced numerous difficulties and challenges, but it managed to successfully carry out tasks with relatively comprehensive results. Those common achievements were partly attributable to important contributions by people-elected bodies.

The “new wind” in activities of people-elected agencies is spreading more widely, which has concurrently inspired, created an impetus, and sustained the momentum for their activities, he said, noting that reforms have been made rather comprehensively and the People’s Councils are working an increasingly substantive and effective manner.

Highlighting the importance of the year 2023 to the implementation of the 13th National Party Congress’s resolution and the five-year plan for 2021 - 2025, he asked the People’s Councils of provinces and centrally-run cities to base on the achievements and lessons last year to exert stronger efforts, show a higher sense of responsibility, and act more drastically.

In particular, Hue noted, the councils need to hold a crucial role in reforming local governance; ensure the adherence to the Constitution and law, improve transparency and accountability, and promote people’s engagement; help build democratic, professional, modern, scientific, clean, and transparent administrative agencies that work for the sake of people and enterprises; learn from experience to improve the effectiveness and sense of responsibility of the People’s Councils of centrally-run cities; and continue implementing the Politburo’s conclusion on the organisation of administrative units. 

Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the People’s Council of Quang Ninh Province Nguyen Xuan Ky briefed on the locality’s socio-economic development achievements in recent years, saying that the provincial People's Council always represented people from all walks of life, and its responsibility to serve the people.

For many consecutive years, Quang Ninh led localities nationwide in the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI); the Public Administration Reform Index (PAR), the People's Satisfaction Index and the Agency for the Service of State Administration Authorities (SIPAS), and the Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI). The results were significantly contributed by the People's Councils at all levels, he said.

The conference offered a good chance for Quang Ninh to learn from experience from other provinces and cities, and absorb valuable guidance from leaders of the Party and State, thus sketching out the right decisions to keep the locality’s momentum of development, he said.