At the 3rd meeting of the National Committee on Digital Transformation, the Ministry of Information and Communications announced the Report on digital transformation assessment results at ministerial and provincial levels in 2021 (Digital Transformation Index DTI 2021). Accordingly, the Ministry of Finance keeps first ranking in terms of digital transformation in 2021 among ministries and sectors providing public services... This is the second consecutive year (2020, 2021) the Ministry of Finance takes leading position in digital transformation, with a value of 0.6321 higher than the value of 0.4944 in 2020. Achieving this result is attributed to significant contribution of the Finance Ministry’s IT system, including the Department of Financial Informatics and Statistics.
Highlights in 2022
Delivering speech at the Conference to summarize the work in 2022 and implement the tasks of the 2023 plan organized by the Department of Financial Informatics and Statistics (DFIS), Mr. Nguyen Viet Ha, Deputy Director affirmed that the Ministry of Finance’s consecutive leadership in DTI proves the close support and direction of the Ministry's leaders, together with the determination and efforts of the Department of Financial Informatics and Statistics in the context of starting digital transformation nationwide with focus on digital government in 2022. The Department of Financial Informatics and Statistics has enhanced the application of information technology (IT) in management, administration and implementation of professional works under assigned functions and tasks.
Outstanding results in the work of the Department of Financial Informatics and Statistics in 2022 shall be mentioned firstly as the active and proactive implementation of more than 100 projects and tasks; The Department has received more than 8,500 incoming documents (dispatch, decision, report, notice...), submitted 295 submissions to the Ministry, and issued more than 1,500 outgoing documents (dispatch, decision, notice, invitation,..).
In 2022, the Ministry of Finance has actively implemented digital transformation in the financial sector, especially in promulgation of mechanisms and policies on digital transformation, training and fostering human resources, specifically: The Department of Financial Informatics and Statistics has submitted to the Ministry for promulgation of the Decision 1484/QD-BTC on Finance Ministry’s Digital Transformation Plan up to 2025, with orientation to 2030 in order to concretize the tasks of Ministry of Finance, ensuring compliance with the orientation in the Financial Strategy to 2030 approved in Decision No. 368/QD-TTg dated March 21, 2022 of the Prime Minister, in line with the orientation, solutions and tasks in Decision No. 2042/QD-BTC dated November 25, 2021 of the Ministry of Finance approving the plan on information technology application in the activities of the Ministry of Finance, development of digital government and ensuring network information security for the 2021-2025 period.
The Decision No. 1484/QD-BTC shall help units in the Finance sector to unify the organization of digital transformation tasks implementation, help to change the perception of leaders of all levels, officials and employees in the Finance sector about the effects and benefits of digital transformation in the activities of the Ministry of Finance’s. The plan is built with a detail list of tasks for units to catch up with their specified works for effective implementation.
The Department of Financial Informatics and Statistics has submitted to the Ministry for promulgating a number of important decisions in order to maximize efficiency and effectiveness in implementing and promoting digital transformation of the Ministry of Finance; Researched and proposed to the Minister of Finance guidelines, strategies, mechanisms and policies to create a legal environment to promote digital transformation process towards Digital Government, Digital Finance, assisted the Minister of Finance in coordinating, urging and inspecting the implementation of strategies, programs, mechanisms, policies, schemes, projects and solutions on building and developing e-finance towards Digital Finance; Submitted to the Ministry for promulgation of the Decision No. 1961/QD-BTC on approval of the Ministry of Finance's Digital Transformation Plan in 2022; Submitted to the Ministry for promulgation of the Decision No. 44/QD-BTC dated January 13, 2022 on implementation of tasks of the Politburo and the Government (Resolution No. 50/NQ-CP dated April 17, 2020 promulgating the Government's action plan to implement Resolution No. 52-NQ/TW dated September 27, 2019 of the Politburo on a number of guidelines and policies to actively participate in the Fourth Industrial Revolution; Decision No. 127/QD-TTg dated January 26, 2021 promulgating the National Strategy on Research, Development and Application of Artificial Intelligence until 2030. Decision No. 127/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister is one of the documents concretizing the policies of the Party and Government in Resolution No. 52-NQ/TW dated 27 September 2019 and Resolution No. 50-NQ-CP dated April 17, 2020 on Industry 4.0).
A highlight shall be mentioned in this year was the issuance of List of Identification Codes. On July 22, 2020, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 20/2020/QD-TTg on electronic identification codes of agencies and organizations serving for data connection and sharing with ministries, branches and localities. The Ministry of Information and Communications issued Official Letter No. 1018/BTTTT-THH dated April 7, 2021 to ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-attached agencies, People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities and related units to direct guiding the implementation of Decision No. 20/2020/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister. Accordingly, agencies and organizations of Level 1 as specified shall develop and issue electronic identification codes for agencies, units to its lowest level; as September 15, 2022, electronic identification codes must be used uniformly when connecting and sharing data with ministries, branches and localities according to the provisions of the Decision No. 20/2020/QD-TTg ( including the exchange of electronic documents between agencies and units through document management and administration systems).
Implementing the Decision No. 20/2020/QD-TTg and the guidance of the Ministry of Information and Communications, the Department of Financial Informatics and Statistics has submitted to the Ministry for promulgation of the Decision 143/QD-BTC dated February 10, 2022 on the issuance of a list of identification codes for units under the Ministry of Finance serving for connection and sharing of data with ministries, branches and localities.
The promulgation of mechanisms and policies on digital transformation is an important event, marking an important transformation of the Finance sector from e-finance to digital finance, changing the perception of leaders as well as civil servants and public employees of the entire Finance sector about the necessity and importance of digital transformation.
The training program was approved by the Ministry of Finance in Decision No. 1506/QD-BTC dated July 29, 2022. Accordingly, the training program includes 4 topics, including: Guidelines and policies of the Party and State on digital transformation; Overview of digital transformation; Digital transformation in the Finance sector and leadership and management skills in digital transformation period (applicable to participants being leaders of units); Digital transformation in the Finance sector and skills in exploiting and processing information and data in the digital environment (applicable to all subjects). The Institute of Financial Training shall coordinate with the Department of Financial Informatics and Statistics in organizing the compilation of textbooks and conducting training, disseminating knowledge and skills on digital transformation for officials and employees of the Finance sector according to the approved plan. Up to now, the Department of Financial Informatics and Statistics has cooperated with the Institute of Financial Training to successfully organize 20 training classes for the entire Finance sector.
Regarding activities to respond to the national digital transformation day: The Ministry of Finance has issued Decision No. 1959/QD-BTC dated September 26, 2022 on the date of digital transformation of the Ministry of Finance with the aim of raising awareness of people and whole society about the role, meaning and benefits in the national digital transformation in general and the digital transformation activities of the Ministry of Finance in particular; promoting people and businesses to participate in national digital transformation activities in general and digital transformation activities of the Ministry of Finance in particular. In response to the digital transformation day, the Ministry of Finance has propagated the benefits of digital transformation on the Ministry of Finance's web portal, organized Conference - Exhibition on Digital Finance (VDF) to introduce digital transformation activities of the Ministry of Finance as well as orientation to use digital products and technologies for financial development in the future.
The Ministry of Finance has issued Circular No. 48/2022/TT-BTC dated August 3, 2022 stipulating the rate, collection, payment, management and use of fees for exploitation and use of information on the National population database. The national financial database consists of 12 specialized databases, through the review, only the tax database is related to the national population database. The Department of Financial Informatics and Statistics has coordinated with the General Department of Taxation to complete connection of the tax database to the national population database.
In addition to developing information systems and database systems in order to gradually modernize state management in the assigned fields, the Department of Financial Informatics and Statistics has presided over the implementation of IT systems serving for internal management in order to gradually improve the working efficiency of officials, civil servants and public employees of the Finance sector. The system has been officially deployed since January 1, 2022; directly supporting users and adding Reporting module, dashboad, integrating to the storage system to test and form the service; DFIS has coordinated with the Ministry Office to organize, supervise and support the contractor to complete creation of archives database and input data with a total of 4,016,356 pages of documents.
The Department of Financial Informatics and Statistics regularly performs activities to maintain network information security at the ministry's agencies, ensuring no information insecurity incidents happen. The Ministry of Finance implemented full 4 layers of information security under the direction of the Prime Minister and the guidance of the Ministry of Information and Communications. Determination of information system security level at the ministry has been basically completed. Periodic and ad hoc information security reports at the request of the Ministry of Information and Communications, the Ministry of Public Security, the Government Cipher Committee are fully implemented.
The management of digital certificate subscribers is carried out by the Department of Financial Informatics and Statistics in accordance with the Regulation on management and use of digital certificates and digital signatures of the Ministry of Finance (issued under Decision No. 2140/QD-BTC dated December 21st. 2020); promptly meeting the needs of units at the Ministry of Finance (the document management and administration program, online public services of the State Treasury).
In 2022, the Department of Financial Informatics and Statistics has received over 100 information security warnings from the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Information and Communications, Viettel, IT hardware and software manufacturers. DFIS has analyzed those warnings for their relevance, impact on the Finance Ministry’s IT system and instructed units under the Ministry and Department to handle. DFIS has detected and promptly handled cases of users' computers infected with malicious code due to the lack of anti-malware software; overloaded due to anti-malware software; leaking passwords leading to email spoofing.
Focusing on Digital Transformation
The Department of Department of Financial Informatics and Statistics has maintained effective operation of the Ministry of Finance's web portal, where provides online public services for people and businesses, making a significant contribution to the public administrative reform and modernization of the financial sector, as well as strengthening propagating information about the Ministry of Finance on the internet, affirming the Finance sector efforts in developing e-Government in Vietnam.
On June 24, 2022, the Government issued the Decree No. 42/2022/ND-CP stipulating the provision of online public information and services by state agencies in network environment, replacing the Decree No. 43/2011/ND-CP dated June 23, 2011. Accordingly, state agencies shall provide public services at two levels: Whole online public service and Partial online public service (the Decree No. 43/2011/ND-CP stipulates online public service at 4 levels: level 1, level 2, level 3 and level 4).
Whole online public service is specified at Point a, Clause 1, Article 11 of Decree No. 42/2022/ND-CP, in which no paper document is used in whole application and processing process. Partial public services are remaining public services, which do not satisfy the conditions to provide whole online public services.
As of December 21, 2022, the Ministry of Finance has 799 valid administrative procedures, 100% of the Ministry's administrative procedures have implemented as online public services, specifically, 84 online public services at level 1, 310 services at level 2, 54 services at level 3, 351 services at level 4.
The Ministry of Finance has integrated 296/405 online public services levels 3 and 4 on the National Public Service Portal.
The Department of Information and Communications has successfully granted budget-related unit codes through 4th level online public service.
From January 1, 2022 to December 21, 2022, total of 592 questions have been sent to the Ministry of Finance's FAQ system, of which 511 were answered and questions still on processing (18 questions within time limit and 63 questions overdue); total of 687questions and complaints have been sent to the Ministry of Finance via the Government Information System, of which 535 were answered and 152 on processing (134 within time limit and 18 overdue).
From January 1, 2022 up to now, there are 784 applications for registration of state budget related unit code granting, (728 online applications and 56 direct applications), 446 budget related unit codes have been granted, of which 393 codes granted online (40 codes of budget using units and 353 codes of capital construction projects), 53 codes granted directly (20 codes of budget using units and 33 codes of basic construction projects). DFIS has supported 63 provincial financial departments in code granting profession, supported units in online registration and issuance of budget related unit codes via phone and email. Since January 1, 2022 so far, DFIS has coordinated with 63 provincial financial departments to process 64,352 dossiers, of which 57,071 (88, 69%) codes issued online, meeting requirements on state budget management and for Chart of Account COA serving the TABMIS system operation.
The number of visits to the Budget Public Portal since its opening (August 2020) to date is about 3 million (page view).
Shortcomings and Limitations
According to Mr. Nguyen Viet Ha, DFIS Deputy Director, although many results have been achieved, the implementation of IT and statistical applications still has some limitations: The digital transformation tasks requires fast and timely implementation, however, mechanisms and policies on investment management in IT application and digital transformation takes a long time with many procedures (from policy approval, project formulation, feasibility study report, etc… to completion of the project). An IT project can take fast 2 years to deploy, or can last up to 4 years and the technologies can become old and out of date upon project completion. The implementation of IT application is based on the provisions of legal documents, mechanisms and policies on business operations, operating models, organizational structure of each unit, etc, however, the implementation of digital transformation can be opposite, changing business process, organizational model, operating structure, so the most difficult thing is to review and redesign professional process, and amend relevant documents, mechanisms and policies to suit the needs of digital transformation.
"Although the Government has issued many documents guiding the research and application of digital technology products of the 4th industrial revolution, preparation of estimates still faces many difficulties due to inadequacy of unit prices and norms for those products. Digital transformation is a new field that requires the participation of consulting units and experts in digital transformation and digital technology. However, up to now, the norms for manpower and experts in the field of digital transformation and digital technology are still inadequate,” said Mr. Ha.
Digital transformation requires high-quality human resources, but at the Ministry of Finance, many units are constantly experiencing a decrease in human resources. The main reason comes from income. State agencies pay salaries as per coefficient and base salary, much lower than private enterprises doing business in the field of digital technology, and have no income policy to attract high quality human resources for digital transformation. Therefore, state administrative agencies in general and the Ministry of Finance in particular have not been able to attract digital transformation human resources because of having no specific policies and incentives for recruiting digital transformation human resources.
The nature of building, expanding, upgrading IT programs, managing and operating IT systems often requires technical exchanges, finding solutions to overcome arising problems, understanding user needs and improving software upon user requirements. Therefore, technical meetings, user requirements surveying; system installation and troubleshooting, etc… requires direct communication for handling. A number of large-scale, sector-wide projects with a large number of participants, as well as large scope of training, deployment, transformation, and data creation requiring multi-party coordination are also major challenges for IT implementation in 2022.
Currently, the Government Office has not yet built an automatic reconciliation mechanism between systems. The reconciliation is still done manually. In addition, the partner supporting the pilot system only supports the maintenance of the existing system, without supporting the development of new indicators at the Government’s request. As a result, some new indicators have still not been implemented as required by the Government.
In the context of promoting digital transformation by the Government, in addition to cover IT tasks, especially software development related to all areas of the Finance sector, DFIS shall pay much attention and time for reporting and giving comments on documents of the ministry’s internal and external units, due to large numbers of reports and documents, and urgent comments requirement, especially documents on digital transformation strategy policies.
Various information systems of the Ministry of Finance have been developed and used for many years, upgrading these systems requires carrying out procedures for policy approval, investment, and procurement, thus taking quite a long time to handle the security vulnerabilities. This is a great difficulty for the Ministry of Finance's network safety and security work.
To fully summary sources and activities of the financial sector, financial statistics work shall concentrate in the Ministry of Finance and also implement in localities. Currently, in general, financial statistics work at provincial financial departments still faces many difficulties and limitations, especially due apparatus streamlining policy, making confusion for financial departments in statistics work implementation.
To fully perform financial statistics profession, in addition to collecting and synthesizing traditional data, it is also necessary to analyze and forecast, which requires statistics staff to have good qualifications and expertise.
Recommendations and Proposals
In order to perform well the projects and tasks in 2023 and in the following years, Mr. Nguyen Viet Ha, Deputy Director of DFIS has delivered recommendations and proposals as follows:
The Ministry leaders continue to direct drastically and closely the IT implementation in the whole financial sector and I DFIS, promptly promote and adjust activities in line with professional requirements to ensure full and timely response to management requirements of the Finance Ministry on the national financial system, better serving people and businesses, develop open data and data-driven e-Finance towards Digital Finance.
The Ministry leaders direct the units to let DFIS and specialized IT units to involve from the beginning in the development of plans or mechanisms and policies that need to apply IT to improve initiative, effectiveness in future implementation.
The Ministry leaders direct the Ministry’s to coordinate with DFIS to provide data, connect and integrate data from specialized databases of the Ministry of Finance with the General Database on Finance phase 1 as in accordance with Decree No. 47/2020/ND-CP dated April 9, 2020 of the Government on management, connection and sharing of digital data of State agencies; Decision No. 2376/QD-BTC dated November 1, 2016 of the Minister of Finance approving the Scheme on building a national database on Finance; Decision No. 2575/QD-BTC dated December 15, 2017 of the Minister of Finance on promulgating the List of specialized databases of the Ministry of Finance.
The Ministry leaders recommend to the Ministry of Information and Communications to promulgate legal documents providing guidelines on units prices, norms for products, manpower and experts in digital transformation and digital technologies, in order to promote and develop the research and development of applications of digital technology products of the 4th Industrial Revolution.
According to the Government's Decree No. 40/2020/ND-CP dated April 6, 2020 detailing the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Public Investment, heads of public administrative units who self-finance recurrent expenditures and investment expenditures shall make decisions on investment policies for programs and projects of groups A, B and C at units under their management; Heads of public administrative units who self-finance recurrent expenditures shall decide on investment policies for projects of groups B and C at units under their management; Heads of other public administrative units, excluding those specified at Points b and c of this Clause, shall decide on investment policies for group C projects under their management.
However, as specified at the Decree 60/2021/ND-CP, "Expenses for procurement of major property and repairs serving for the toll collection paid from retained tolls source" are classified in the group of "non-autonomy recurrent expenses". . In addition, Decree 151/2017/ND-CP provides no regulations allowing public administrative units who self-finance recurrent expenditures and partial recurrent expenditures to issue standards and norms of assets serving for non-business activities using funds from revenue of service providing activities. Therefore, corresponding initiative has not been created for administrative units as prescribed in Decree 40/2020/ND-CP.
The Government has issued various documents guiding the research and application of digital technology products of the 4th Industrial Revolution, but there is no regulation on unit prices and norms for these normative products, thus, causing difficulties in budget estimates preparation.
Digital transformation is a new field, requiring the participation of consulting units, experts in digital transformation and digital technology. However, so far, there is no regulation on norm for employees and experts in the field of digital transformation and digital technology.
Units under the Finance Ministry shall strengthen propaganda to encourage and support people, businesses and organizations shifting from conducting direct administrative procedures to online form via using online public service application software in electronic environment; strengthen responses to questions and recommendations on financial policies raised by people and businesses.
Units under the Finance Ministry shall fully and promptly implement the national statistical reporting regime specified in Decree No. 60/2018/ND-CP dated April 20, 2018 of the Government, Circular No. 02/2019 /TT-BTC dated January 14, 2019 of the Ministry of Finance stipulating the Financial sector statistical reporting regime; the reporting regime criteria serving for the direction and administration of the Government and the Prime Minister according to the provisions of Decision No. 293/QD-TTg dated February 24, 2020 of the Prime Minister.
(Thu Hằng)
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