Digitalization key for Quang Tri’s sustainable development

Director of Quang Tri’s Department of Information and Communications Nguyen Van Tuong discussed the role of digitalization in the province’s efforts toward sustainable development with Quang Tri Newspaper.

In recent years, Quang Tri province has identified digital transformation as a key solution for innovating the leadership methods of the Party, government, and organizations within the political system. It serves as a breakthrough tool in administrative reform, improving the investment and business environment, and is both a goal and a driving force for economic growth. Additionally, it effectively addresses local social issues. On this occasion, could you share some of the achievements in digital transformation in Quang Tri province?

In the advancement of digital governance, aiming to boost effectiveness and operational efficiency, the provincial electronic gateway and the online public service portal have now established links with the National Center for Monitoring Digital Government and have shifted to IPv6 technology. Quang Tri Province has amalgamated the public service portal with the provincial one-stop electronic information system, forming the Provincial Administrative Procedure Information System. The province has rolled out 748 partially online and 973 fully online public services, and has enrolled in the integration of 1,126 provincial online public services into the national public service portal. The Provincial People’s Committee Office has overseen and collaborated with relevant entities to execute the interconnection of the provincial administrative procedure system with the national public service portal, national payment portal, national population database, and other national databases, along with specialized software from central ministries and agencies. Additionally, it has facilitated the transmission of data from the provincial administrative procedure system to the Provincial Intelligent Operations Center (IOC) and the IOC in Dong Ha City through the province’s integrated data-sharing platform with the national data-sharing platform. Besides the electronic gateway and online public service portal, the province has established a Zalo channel to furnish information and online public services directly to residents and businesses.

The signing ceremony to adopt digitalization - digital payment model between Viettel Quang Tri and Cam Thuy Commune People’s Committee. Photo: DPCC

So far, every department, bureau, sector, and locality has electronic portals delivering information for citizens and businesses. Over 90% of the province’s legal documents and more than 90% of its directives and executive documents are regularly updated on the provincial electronic portal, ensuring seamless information flow from the Provincial People’s Committee to various agencies, units, and localities.

The electronic office system has been uniformly deployed across all state agencies in the province. The proportion of documents sent online between state agencies in the province is estimated to exceed 98% (excluding classified documents). All documents exchanged between state agencies in the province (except classified ones) and all internal documents of departments, agencies, and localities are now processed electronically. The official email system has been consistently implemented in all state agencies in the province, with 100% of officials and civil servants provided with official email accounts; over 70% of them regularly use email in their work.

In terms of digital economic development and enhancing economic competitiveness, all schools and educational institutions now accept non-cash payments for tuition fees, fees, and charges. Similarly, all healthcare facilities in the province accept non-cash payments for healthcare services. According to a specialized report on digital economic development solutions by the Ministry of Information and Communications, the province’s digital economy accounts for 9.03% of its GRDP, ranking 26th nationwide.

In the realm of developing a digital society and bridging the digital divide, approximately 80.51% of households are connected to broadband internet. Moreover, there are currently 487,083 active payment accounts in the province, with over 65% of the population having active payment accounts.

Regarding digital data development, many specialized databases in the province have been integrated with central ministries and agencies' databases, such as those related to health, education, personnel, labor, social affairs, land, pricing, and investment licensing management. These databases are interconnected with the Provincial Intelligent Operations Center.

On April 18, 2023, the Provincial People’s Committee issued Decision No. 749/QD-UBND approving the outline and detailed estimate for constructing the provincial shared database warehouse, which is currently being implemented by the Department of Information and Communications.

Concerning digital platforms, the province has implemented various platforms such as data analysis, online meetings, citizen identification, e-commerce, intelligent operations, network security, and data sharing and integration. These platforms are interconnected with national platforms and serve various purposes, including public services, citizen profile processing, and price management.

To support e-commerce, businesses, and cooperatives in the province are encouraged to participate in domestic e-commerce platforms and are provided with assistance in building and upgrading their own e-commerce websites.

Lastly, in terms of operation, the E-commerce Trading Floor (https://quangtritrade.gov.vn) is maintained and operated to facilitate online transactions and support businesses in connecting with other e-commerce platforms nationwide. Additionally, efforts are made to upgrade and enhance the features of this platform to meet the evolving needs of businesses and consumers.

Could you provide an overview of the fundamental solutions that the Information and Communications sector will implement in the province in the near future to carry out digital transformation, considering it as both an urgent and long-term task?

With the guiding principle closely following the theme of 2024 as the “year of digital economic development with four pillars: information technology industry, digitalization of economic sectors, digital governance, and digital data - crucial drivers for rapid and sustainable socio-economic development”, the synchronized direction, resolute organization, and clear identification of prioritized, focal, and central tasks are imperative. Mobilizing all resources and engaging the entire political system, people, and business community to foster digital economic development is paramount. Strengthening digital infrastructure, digital application, and synchronized digital data, fostering seamless connectivity, and establishing the foundation for convenient e-commerce and digital services are key.

In this regard, the Information and Communications sector proposes several implementation solutions:

Firstly, intensify propaganda, communication, enhance digital awareness and skills, and boost interaction with citizens and businesses. Establish specialized sections for propaganda, disseminating digital transformation content on the province’s digital conversion portal, on the provincial electronic information portal, and on the component portals of state agencies within the province, on the Quang Tri Newspaper, and on the Provincial Radio and Television Station; on grassroots radio systems. Share and disseminate success stories, honor exemplary success in digital transformation. Organize training courses, provide basic and in-depth knowledge of digital transformation to provincial officials, civil servants, and staff.

Organize conferences, seminars, and discussions on digital transformation to exchange experiences, enhance awareness of digital transformation. Conduct courses, discussions on digital transformation with businesses, especially business leaders. Increase the participation of citizens and businesses in providing feedback, monitoring, and utilizing services and utilities provided by digital transformation.

Secondly, develop models of collaboration between state agencies and businesses. Coordinate between businesses providing telecommunications services and community digital technology teams in the province to develop customers, deploy services, and promote digital transformation to villages and hamlets.

Coordinate between the Provincial Youth Union and community digital technology teams to guide people in using online public services, cashless payments, developing e-commerce, participating in on-site feedback...

Thirdly, research, cooperate to master and efficiently apply technologies. Pilot the integration of IoT data on some existing data in the province. Build a data exploitation platform in the province’s shared database repository with machine learning methods, data mining applied in smart urban areas. Ensure general requirements for connecting digital services with applications at units and the province’s shared database repository; digitize and archive documents to serve document management, electronic document exploitation...

Fourthly, attract information technology resources. Utilize, mobilize all capital sources to ensure financial resources to promote digital transformation and ensure network security in the province.

Develop appropriate incentive policies for information technology professionals, digital transformation, and network security in state agencies to maintain and attract high-quality human resources to serve the construction of electronic government/digital government.

Fifthly, enhances international cooperation. Strengthen cooperation, exchange experiences; organize, and participate in workshops, training on digital transformation and orientation to build digital government/digital government with advanced countries in the world.

Local organizations, and businesses collaborate with major technology companies worldwide to research, develop, and transfer new technologies, and new models.

Digital transformation is an urgent and long-term task, therefore, it must be carried out urgently, persistently, and continuously with firm, prioritized, and focal steps, inheriting the achievements of scientific and technological development and being in line with the local realities. It is essential to mobilize and use resources effectively to promote the development of digital technology platforms, and human resources serving digital transformation in the province; where internal resources are fundamental; and external resources are crucial.

Thank you for your time!

Dao Thanh Tam - Ngoc Mai