In year 2006, PAR Steering Committees at all levels in Nghe An province had the capability improved and had a lot of changes in guiding which actively affected PAR results in the province.

In the beginning of the year, the provincial PAR Steering Committee jumped up one more step in improvement. Beside members who are heads of branches of Home Affairs, Justice, Finance, Office of the provincial People’s Committee supplemented three more members who are heads of three branches: Planning and Investment, Construction and Natural Resources and Environment (these three branches were intensively guided in the recent year). Together with the Steering Committee improvement, the number of the Secretariat’s members was also increased who are heads, deputy-heads of relevant departments. Moreover, according to the guidance of Ministry of Home Affairs, the provincial People’s Committee formed an affiliated PAR division of Department of Home Affairs. Since formed, the division has fast participated and provided PAR consultation effectively to leaders of Department of Home Affairs and the provincial PAR Steering Committee.

In departments and rural districts, also in year 2006, the provincial People’s Committee guided the re-improvement, Steering Committees are directly leaded by heads of departments, chairmen of People’s Committees at district level; Steering Committees have teams of assisting experts of 03 to 05 members. The personnel improvement was related to the review, working regulations enactment and specific tasks assignment for each member.

It could be said that PAR Steering systems of the province and other departments and localities all have enough members according to stipulations with working regulations and clear tasks assignment.
Due to the capability improved in year 2006, Steering Committees went into depth, more closely to the practice, with the guideline: plans making – implementation – monitoring, inspection – assessment thus a lot of contents was concrete, not general as before. A few specific activities are as follows:

- having guided in specific, in detail and monitored the first phase PAR review implementation in rural districts, departments practically; having organised a provincial review meeting on the first phase of PAR master program in 2001-2010 period;
- having made and issued the provincial PAR program in year 2006 specifically, in which the contents, results that need to be achieved, implementation responsibility, completion due are specifically stipulated…; having urged departments, rural districts to have PAR programs registered in year 2006 in order to have the base for inspection and assessment;
- having directly worked over PAR with 11 rural districts, 10 departments, through which having shown PAR limitations remained, especially the OSS mechanism, having redressed the working style at communal level; having implemented Directive No 10, Directive No 32…; having guided in detail so that PAR Steering Committees of departments, rural districts could self inspect and assess PAR implementation in their departments, rural districts and sent periodic reports to the provincial PAR Steering Committee.
- having organised survey on the practice, scientific seminars to make the project “continuing to implement and improve the OSS mechanism quality in the locality of Nghe An. The project is considered for approval by the provincial People’s Committee with 11 specific solutions, with feasibility.
- having made PAR plan for 2007-2010 period with specific objectives, tasks, clear responsibility assignment and completion due. The plan includes 6 main contents with 32 specific tasks and a lot of products. According to general assessment, the successful implementation of this plan and PAR mandates that the Central required will make the outlook of the administration of Nghe An will have much prosperousness, well serving the provincial development.
- PAR assessment in year 2006 was improved, gradually ensuring the accuracy, fairness, objectiveness and scientism by the issuance of the system of PAR activities assessment criteria. This system includes 10 little criteria and 01 open criterion so that departments, rural districts could supplement typical and dominant PAR activities; having made sample forms to survey opinions of cadres, civil servants, individuals, enterprises and other organisations in the locality; districts assess departments, departments assess districts… The final assessment results were considered for publication in the meeting reviewing year 2006 PAR implementation and implementing PAR of year 2007 by Chairmen of the provincial People’s Committee, co-Head of PAR Steering Committee

However, by reviewing PAR implementation last year, the provincial PAR Steering Committee finds that there remains a few shortcomings such as: the inspection and the pressuring have not been remarkably done, having not found a lot of solutions aiming to attract the participation in the survey for opinions of people and organisations into the administration reform…

With members of the Steering Committee improved, the availability of PAR plan in 2007-2010 period and clearly identified working agenda of the Steering Committee, hopefully that PAR activities in year 2007 of the province will have much prosperousness, contributing to the socio-economic development of the province.

Le, Sy Chien
Department of Home Affairs of Nghe An province