Ministry aims to cut irksome bureaucracy Newly-elected Minister of Internal Affairs Le Vinh Tan said the ministry would focus on six key tasks stated by the 12th Party Congress’s Resolution and six management priorities stated by the Government, which stepped up the fight against corruption, aims to eliminate cumbersome bureaucracy and implement public administrative reform.   Residents complete administrative procedure in Bac Giang Province.  The home affairs ministry would continue implementing administrative reforms, which focused on improving legislative work for building a socialist State ruled by law and better serving the needs of people. In reply to questions from the Vietnam News Agency about priority issues in the future, Tan said he would focus on the following tasks: Firstly, the ministry would carry out comprehensive measures on bureaucracy, corruption and enhancing the sense of accountability of leaders and public servants. This would contribute to the transparency, effectiveness and efficiency of the ministry. Secondly, the ministry would continue implementing administrative reforms, which focused on improving legislative work for building a socialist State ruled by law and better serving the needs of people. The ministry would consult the Government to promulgate and implement more effective and practical policies on public administrative reforms in the future. Thirdly, the ministry would strengthen discipline in managing civil servants and State employees. Fourthly, the ministry would downsize and restructure civil servants and state employees following Resolution 39 of the Politburo and the Government’s Decree 108. The Law on Organisation of the Central Government would be deployed urgently, which specified the tasks and powers of the Government, the Prime Minister, and the position and role of ministers, and heads of ministerial-level agencies. Based on it, the ministry would build a work structure with job descriptions for the positions of civil servants and State employees. Fifthly, the ministry would urge local administrations to implement the Law on Organisation of local government this year, which ensured the further decentralisation of the central government from local administrations. It would help raise effectiveness, consistency, and smoothness in the organisation and operation of local administrations at all levels, especially the operation quality of People’s Councils and People’s Committees at all levels. Finally, the ministry would co-ordinate with relevant agencies to successfully hold the elections of National Assembly deputies and People’s Council at all levels. In reply to questions about staff downsizing, Tan suggested that the number of those on the State payroll in many sectors should be reduced by at least 10 per cent over the next five years. Currently, more than 200,000 people are estimated to be on the State payroll. VNS