To attract diverse resources for economic development, in recent years Kien Giang province has always given top priority to enhancing the business investment environment and improving the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI). However, its ranking has not been significantly improved. In 2021, the province managed to increase the index but still ranked rather low in the PCI rankings, failing to realize the goal of returning to the good performer group on the rankings. To improve PCI in 2022, the province has been synchronously deploying many solutions, promptly removing business difficulties, and creating an open and favorable business and investment environment.
According to the PCI 2021 Report released by VCCI, Kien Giang scored a total of 59.73 points on a 100-point scale, a decrease of 0.28 points, ranking the 60th position nationwide, two places higher than a year ago, and ranking No. 13 out among Mekong Delta provinces, down one place as compared to 2020. Out of 10 PCI indicators, the province had 6 rising indices, with six high-score ones (access to land; the dynamism of the provincial government; legal institutions; and informal charges) and 4 falling indices (transparency; labor training; market entry cost; and time cost).
In 2021, despite complicated epidemic development, provincial leaders clearly demonstrated dynamism and leadership by working out growth scenarios to adapt to the new context and revive economic development. By adopting policies on tourism reopening, commodity supply chain connection and business support, the province created an open and favorable working environment for businesses and investors. The Provincial People's Committee also launched Plan 174/KH-UBND dated September 20, 2021 in a bid to improve the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI), the Public Administration Reform Index (PAR Index), the Vietnam Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI) and the Satisfaction Index of Public Administrative Services (SIPAS) of Kien Giang province. In VCCI’s annual PCI ranking, especially from 2016 to date, Kien Giang province has not achieved an overall high rank but some PCI component indices stayed quite high in rankings such as the Access to Land Index (ranked No. 9 out of 63 provinces and cities) and Fair Competition Index (No. 11).
The efforts to enhance the business investment environment and improve the province's PCI have been effective and highly appreciated by the business community and investors, creating a solid premise for the province to build a transparent, efficient, service-oriented administration, creating trust in businesses and investors.
Determined to bring Kien Giang back to the "good performer" group on the national PCI rankings in 2022 and the following years, Kien Giang province will further raise PCI component indices by focusing on reforming administrative procedures and strengthening business and investment support. The Provincial People's Committee will direct all branches and levels of authority to regularly review, reduce and simplify administrative procedures and business conditions that enterprises must fulfill before going into operation or launching their projects, especially procedures relating to investment, construction, land, tax reform and credit. Provincial and local agencies will further carry out Plan 174/KH-UBND dated September 20, 2021 of the Provincial People's Committee on improving and enhancing PCI, PAR Index and SIPAS in order to raise their scores and rankings in 2022 and beyond. It will step up PCI communications and dissemination in order to highlight its importance to public employees, businesses, organizations and individuals. The province will regularly strengthen the coordination of all stakeholders to pick up PCI and PAR Index because they are interrelated. Good administrative reform is a factor important for higher PCI Index.
Provincial and local agencies will continue to direct and work harder and better for rising indices in 2021 and have plans to improve low-ranking and low-score indices. Especially, to improve the Business Support Index, the province will also facilitate the establishment of an investment promotion and business support center. They will also work closely together to promptly remove difficulties and obstacles for businesses and investors.
Source: Vietnam Business Forum
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