Not to interrupt budget payments during the Covid-19 pandemic

The State Treasury requires budget-using units to transact with the Treasury through online public services. Photo: Thuy Linh

Treasury works continuously

Since the Covid-19 pandemic showed signs of a strong outbreak, the State Treasury has requested the State Treasury of provinces and cities nationwide to regularly inspect and implement requirements and measures to prevent and control the pandemic at units under their management; strictly handle units and individuals that violate pandemic prevention and control in accordance with law; closely monitor the pandemic situation in the locality, proactively prepare necessary conditions in terms of human resources, equipment, supplies, and pandemic prevention and control plans to respond promptly to all situations, maintaining the State Treasury's operations in the locality.

Thai Binh is one of the localities that implemented social distancing early after recording many Covid-19 positive cases. To prevent the pandemic and not interrupt the payment of the provincial budget, especially expenses for pandemic prevention, Thai Binh State Treasury has promoted online transactions with customers and deployed technology applications (created groups on Zalo and Viber to direct and exchange information).

Nguyen Thi Hai, Deputy Director of Thai Binh State Treasury, said that as a service unit, all expenditures for social security and development investment must be controlled by the Treasury. There must always be officials and civil servants at the Treasury to handle budget revenue and expenditure needs, and promptly respond to budget-using units.

Da Nang is also one of the "hot spots" of the fourth Covid-19 outbreak. According to Da Nang State Treasury, right after the Covid-19 pandemic broke out again in some localities, the unit has seriously implemented measures to prevent it under the direction of the Provincial People's Committee and ensured timely budget payments to beneficiaries.

The State Treasury system has provided online public services at level 4 for the Treasury's professional activities related to budget-using units (except for security and defense units), and a mobile risk alert application for budget-using units. Therefore, Da Nang State Treasury has issued an official dispatch requesting budget-using units to promote online transactions. This not only ensures compliance with regulations on pandemic prevention and control, but also assures that all documents sent to the Treasury are handled and paid quickly.

According to the Da Nang State Treasury’s report, by the end of May 11, 2021, the unit has paid more than VND6,033 billion of recurrent expenditure, reaching more than 40% of the estimate; disbursed capital construction investment of VND1,620 billion, reaching 14% of the estimate.

Despite the pandemic, Da Nang State Treasury always ensure timely budget payment to budget-using units.

Temporarily suspend cash transactions

To limit contact leading to the spread of the pandemic, restricting cash transactions is one of the effective measures. Thai Nguyen State Treasury will stop all cash transactions of organizations and individuals at its headquarters from June 1, 2021.

Activities of state budget collection and administrative violation fines will be carried out on the National Public Service Portal through the taxpayer's account. And fine payment will be conducted at commercial banks or directly at transaction points of five commercial banks, including VietinBank, Agribank, BIDV, Vietcombank, and MB Thai Nguyen branch according to the agreement on collection coordination between Tax - Customs - State Treasury and commercial banks.

Thai Nguyen State Treasury also suggested that budget-using units continuously promote online transactions, striving for 100% of State Treasury’s administrative procedures to be carried out on the online public service system of the State Treasury and the National Public Service Portal without paper documents and records under the direction of the Provincial People's Committee.

The State Treasury system has promoted administrative reform to facilitate budget-using units so far. Hence, amid the pandemic, the Treasury's information technology application services have maximized their effectiveness.

To prevent the pandemic and promptly pay budget expenditures, the State Treasury has strengthened payment control through online public services so that budget-using units do not have to go to the Treasury for transactions, avoiding direct contact, especially during the pandemic.

The time required to process documents related to state budget expenditures via online public services is at least one working day for simple documents and two working days for complicated documents with contracts and advance payment. Thanks to the online public services, the budget expenditure has basically met the needs of performing tasks such as: procurement of medical equipment; supporting people with meritorious services to the revolution; supporting social protection beneficiaries to enjoy monthly allowances; and supporting poor and near-poor households. This contributes to ensuring social security in the province, promoting the fast, convenient and correct budget payment for the election across the country.