The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Industry and Trade have up to ten deputy ministers while they are allowed to have up to four.

After ten years implementing administrative reforms, many ministries still have many deputy ministers, more than the permitted number, according to an online meeting which reviewed 10-year administrative reform program, chair by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

According to Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Tran Huu Thang, the cabinet structure has been streamlined and strengthened, with the number of ministries and government agencies reduced from 48 to 30.

However, some ministries violated the regulations on the allowed number of deputy ministers. For instance the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Industry and Trade each have ten deputy ministers, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Finance has seven, the Ministry of Construction has six, and even the Ministry of Home Affairs, which is in charge of the administrative reform program, has six deputy ministers.

Some ministries also have excessive vice chiefs in their departments. Some departments have up to 7-8 deputy chiefs while the allowed number is three. This fact shows that administrative discipline is not strictly observed by central agencies.

The Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed that after the 11^th Party Congress, the number of officials of ministries, central and local agencies will be adjusted.

From 2011 to 2020, the cabinet and administrative agencies at all levels will be streamlined and strengthened to ensure effective operation.

The government structure will be adjusted towards gradually reducing the number of ministries and agencies to the necessary level, speeding up decentralization between the government and provincial authorities.

Specifically, from now to the end of the 12^th tenure of the government, the function, mission and organization of the government, ministries, central agencies and local governments will be reviewed. The government of the 14-15 tenures will have less than 20 ministries.

Hien Anh