Chairwoman of the NA Committee for Social Affairs, Truong Thi Mai, yesterday asked the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs to improve social welfare procedures.

Mai was speaking at a meeting of the committee to hear a report by the ministry on its implementation of the NA's Standing Committee's resolution and ordinances on policies for those who have contributed to the country's revolution.

The report said welfare policies for these beneficiaries had been carried out well and comprehensively. Supporting policies on health-care service and accommodations had been adjusted accordingly to the changes of wage and social insurance.

At present, 1.4 million people receive monthly supporting policies. However, the report also said that there are still cases in which the intended benefactors have not been confirmed and able to received support.

Besides, there are still shortcomings in implementing welfare policies for these people. A group of them are still living in difficulties due to old age and decreased health conditions while the procedures for welfare policies are complicated and lengthy.

Some staff at grassroots level have not been trained properly to do their job well.

The chairwoman of the committee also asked the labour ministry to continue to make improvements in this area.

Currently, there are more than 8.8 million people recognised as having contributed to the country's revolution.

Local governance

In the morning, the NA's Standing Committee discussed the Law on Local Governance and agreed it was necessary to issue a law on local governance to replace the Law on People's Council and People's Committee.

The proposal for the law project includes regulations on the organisation of administration units, a model of local governance agencies at different levels and the distribution of competences among different levels of local governing units.

The law project also touches upon the transparency and relationship between the People's Council, the People's Committee and the Fatherland Front.

Some deputies said that the project law's proposal had not addressed the competence of the People's Council and People's Committee in issuing legal documents.

Regarding the organisation of local authority, the project law suggested two options. The first states there will be no People's Council at ward and district level. The People's Committee will be the local's governing representative at these levels. Other administrative units will still have People's Councils and People's Committees.

The second option says the People's Council will still be available at ward and district level.

Some deputies said the law project needed to identify clearly the duty and competences of each local authority level to enhance their responsibilities and creativities in enforcing their duties.

VNS/VNN