LETTER

OF THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE NO. 12309/TC-HCSN DATED NOVEMBER 24, 2003 ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF DECREE NO. 10/2002/NĐ-CP
AND DECISION NO. 192/2001/QĐ-TTg

Dear: - Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government agencies

||| Provincial People's Committees, centrally governed cities.

After more than one year of implementing Decree No. 10/2002/NĐ-CP dated January 16, 2002 of the Government on financial regulations applicable to public service units with income and Decision No. 192/2001/QĐ-TTg dated December 17, 2001 of the Prime Minister on expanding pilot programs for staffing quotas and administrative management expenses for state administrative agencies, initial positive results have been achieved; however, the progress has been slow. In practice, wherever there is active leadership guidance and promotion of implementation, along with enhanced publicity and education efforts, the implementation is good and yields high effectiveness; conversely, where leadership at all levels does not adequately direct, the implementation is less effective.

On September 1, 2003, the Prime Minister issued Directive No. 18/2003/CT-TTg on accelerating the implementation of financial autonomy rights for public service units. To promptly complete the assignment of financial autonomy rights to public service units with income and expand pilot programs for staffing quotas and expenses for administrative agencies nationwide, the Ministry of Finance requests that all Ministries, central agencies, and provincial People's Committees pay attention to directing and implementing the following tasks:

1. Strengthen publicity and training on the assignment of financial autonomy rights to public service units with income and the expansion of pilot programs for staffing quotas and expenses for administrative agencies to leaders at all levels of Party committees and governments, and relevant units, so as to fully understand the purpose, significance, content, and benefits of the new mechanism, unify understanding, and resolve to implement it.

2. For Ministries, agencies equivalent to Ministries, government agencies, and provincial People's Committees that have not established Steering Committees to implement Decree No. 10/2002/NĐ-CP and Decision No. 192/2001/QĐ-TTg, it is recommended that they establish such committees immediately. For those places that have already established committees, it is recommended that they be strengthened to provide adequate advisory services, propose programs and plans, solutions, and organize their implementation.

3. For Ministries, central agencies, and localities that have not yet implemented or completed the assignment of financial autonomy rights to public service units with income, it is requested that they urgently develop plans and timelines to complete the assignment of financial autonomy rights to public service units with income, with specific measures, striving to complete this task by 2004.

The steps for classifying and assigning financial autonomy rights to public service units with income should be carried out according to the guidelines of the Ministry of Finance in Document No. 7358/TC-HCSN dated July 4, 2002 (for Ministries and central agencies), Document No. 7357/TC-HCSN dated July 4, 2002, and Document No. 7395/TC-HCSN dated July 5, 2002 (for provinces and centrally-administered cities).

For administrative management agencies, it is necessary to continue selecting agencies that meet the conditions to implement the expanded pilot program for staffing quotas and administrative management expenses.

For public service units with low revenue or without additional income outside the state budget, the assignment of financial autonomy rights should be carried out according to the guidelines of the Ministry of Finance.

4. Based on the classification and assignment of financial autonomy rights to public service units with income, clearly define the level of self-sufficiency in funding for salary reform for each public service unit with income.

5. Ministries, central agencies, and localities, based on their functions and responsibilities, should urgently review, amend, supplement, and provide detailed guidance on related mechanisms and policies in a way that facilitates public service units with income and state administrative management agencies in implementing the new mechanism.

6. Strengthen supervision and inspection of the organization and implementation, regularly summarize and promptly disseminate exemplary cases and effective measures; promptly address difficulties and obstacles and take measures to guide and handle units that lag behind in implementation according to the planned schedule.

To have data and information to report to the Prime Minister on the results of implementing Decree No. 10/2002/NĐ-CP dated January 16, 2002 of the Government and Decision No. 192/2001/QĐ-TTg dated December 17, 2001 of the Prime Minister, it is requested that all Ministries, agencies equivalent to Ministries, government agencies, and provincial People's Committees pay attention to directing relevant functional agencies to effectively implement the above tasks. Summarize the results of assigning financial autonomy rights to public service units with income and the allocation of staffing quotas and administrative management expenses for state administrative agencies up to September 30, 2003, estimate the full-year 2003 performance, and plan for implementation in 2004, and report to the Ministry of Finance before December 20, 2003 (according to attached Tables 01 and 02); simultaneously specify any difficulties and suggestions for amendments and supplements (if any).

Table Number: 01

Ministry, Province...

SUMMARY OF IMPLEMENTATION RESULTS OF DECREE 10/2002/NĐ-CP

Note: Columns (12), (13), and (14) should provide explanations for average income per person in each field of public service activities (health, education...) if it cannot be calculated.

Form 02

Ministry, Province, Centrally-Administered City

Implementation situation of cost allocation under Decision 192/2001/QĐ-TTg

Note:

- Column 1: List all administrative units within the territory

- Column 2: For units that have not yet implemented devolution: Leave blank: For units that have implemented devolution: Clearly state the month and year of implementation