Provision of public information services to support public access to information in particularly difficult communes in Vietnam from April 5, 2025

Provision of public information services to support public access to information in particularly difficult communes in Vietnam from April 5, 2025​ (Image from the internet)

On February 18, 2025, the Minister of Information and Communications issued Circular 01/2025/TT-BTTTT amending and supplementing certain articles of Circular 06/2022/TT-BTTTT guiding the implementation of the Communication and Information Poverty Reduction Project under the National Target Program for Sustainable Poverty Reduction for the period 2021-2025.

Provision of public information services to support public access to information in particularly difficult communes in Vietnam from April 5, 2025

As per Article 5 of Circular 06/2022/TT-BTTTT (amended and supplemented by Circular 01/2025/TT-BTTTT), regulations on the provision of public information services at public postal service points to facilitate access to information for people in particularly difficult communes, island communes, and island districts are as follows:

(1) Objective: Provide public information services for people in particularly difficult communes, island communes, and island districts; assist people in these areas in accessing information on Communist Party policies, state laws, knowledge, skills for economic, cultural, social development, and other essential information.

(2) Scope and Location of Implementation:

- Scope: Implemented in particularly difficult communes in coastal, island buffer zones; particularly difficult communes in ethnic minority and mountainous regions for the period 2021-2025 per the decision of the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam; island communes, island districts;

- Location: At postal service points within the public postal network.

(3) Activities of Public Information Service Points:

- Receive print publications, printed press from the project and other programs, projects to serve people in the locality;

- Serve (free of charge) people to read books, newspapers, magazines (including electronic publications and electronic newspapers);

- Provide broadband internet access services to people for exploiting essential information, reading electronic publications, electronic newspapers, utilizing online public services.

(4) Conditions for Supported Public Information Service Points:

- Have tables, chairs for people to read books, newspapers, magazines;

- Have at least 01 computer connected to broadband internet for public access;

- Have at least 01 cabinet/shelf/rack for displaying, introducing printed publications, printed newspapers;

- Ensure maintenance of lighting systems, broadband internet for public convenience;

- Service time: Extend at least an additional 02 hours/working day and 06 hours/each Saturday compared to the national technical regulations on quality of public postal services and public services in journalistic publication distribution (excluding public holidays as per state regulations). Service time must be publicly posted in visible locations for public awareness.

(5) Organization of Implementation:

- Provincial-level People's Committee is responsible for:

+ Organizing, directing the implementation of public information services provision in the locality;

+ Directing the Department of Information and Communications to advise on management tasks, prepare plans, and organize implementation post provincial People's Committee approval;

+ Delegating to relevant departments under the provincial People's Committee to coordinate with local agencies, organizations to propose support levels for maintaining, operating public information service points, submitting for competent authority approval as per regulations;

+ Organizing the provision of information products, communication services under the project and from other programs, projects (if any) conducted locally to serve people at public information service points.

- Units providing public information services are responsible for:

+ Ensuring facilities, arranging human resources, and maintaining, operating service points as per the conditions in section (4).

+ Coordinating with the Department of Information and Communications to prepare plans, execute service provision, propose support levels for maintaining, operating public information service points.

+ Receiving, preserving, exploiting printed publications, printed newspapers of this Program and other programs, projects (if any) to serve people in the localities:

++    For    printed    publications:    Ensure    exploitation    time    at    least    until    the    end    of    the    Program    implementation.    Upon    termination    of    the    Program,    based    on    actual    conditions    and    needs,    the    service    provider    proactively    continues    exploiting    printed    publications    to    serve    people    locally    or    propose    to    the    commune-level    People's    Committee    to    transfer    these    publications    for    continued    service    to    the    public    at    local    cultural    –    information    facilities;

++    For    printed    newspaper    editions    and    other    printed    communication    products:    Exploitation    time    at    least    12    months.

+ Reporting service provision status as requested by the Ministry of Information and Communications and local authorities.

- Press agencies, publishers participating in the project based on the purpose, target audience are responsible for providing printed newspapers, printed publications to suitable public information provision points.

Encourage agencies, organizations to supply journalistic, publication products and other communication products under other programs, projects to public information service points to meet the public's information needs.

- Service users at public information service points are responsible for:

+ Using internet-connected computers to read electronic books, newspapers, search information, use online public services, and other activities in compliance with legal regulations;

+ Ensuring safe preservation of assets, printed publications, printed newspapers, and other communication products when utilized at public information service points; maintaining public order and hygiene at public information service points.

See more Circular 01/2025/TT-BTTTT effective from April 5, 2025.

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