Youth union members of the city guided the people of Hua La commune on how to use electronic identity and authentication accounts (VNeID).

To promote the development of a digital society, the city has invested in information infrastructure, built and developed digital services; encouraged people to invest in, equip, and use computers and smartphones connected to the internet and access and use digital applications and services; installed free Wi-Fi at Northwest Square, cultural centers, and tourist attractions, creating favorable conditions for people to access and use information technology.

Currently, 100% of agencies and units in the area are fully equipped with modern information technology equipment, meeting work requirements. Network connectivity has also been prioritized, ensuring 100% of government agencies have access to dedicated networks; 100% of businesses, schools, and hospitals have internet access; and common and specialized software applications have been effectively implemented, especially the interoperability system between different levels.

Regarding mobile telecommunications infrastructure, the city is coordinating with telecommunications companies to expand coverage, with 225 base stations. In addition, it is implementing a roadmap to shut down 2G networks, encouraging people to switch to 4G SIMs, and guiding them in installing applications that support digital transformation. To date, the city has 26,000 households with smartphones, reaching over 97% of the total number of households; and 66,200 people use smartphones, reaching nearly 57.5% of the total population.

The city has aggressively implemented the electronic identification system and issued identity cards, creating a digital identity platform that helps citizens easily access online public services. To date, applications for electronic identification accounts, linked to the issuance of identity cards, have been received from over 81,600 citizens aged 14 and above, achieving a rate of nearly 97%.

In particular, from July to the present, since the implementation of the 2023 Identity Card Law, the city has received 11,907 applications. Of these, 3,979 applications are for citizens aged 0 to under 6 years old; 5,576 applications are for citizens aged 6 to under 14 years old; and 2,352 applications are for citizens over 14 years old who have not yet been issued identity cards, including those whose identity cards have expired and need renewal. The city is the leading district-level locality in terms of the rate of identity card issuance to citizens under the 2023 Identity Card Law; in particular, Chiềng Cơi ward, Chiềng Cọ commune, and Chiềng Xôm commune have completed the issuance of identity cards.

To date, the city has established 792 community digital transformation teams, with over 4,200 participants, helping nearly 50,800 people install Vietel Money and VNPT Money e-wallets; over 68,000 citizens have activated electronic identity verification accounts on the VNeID application, reaching 83.36% of the total citizen accounts; and installed official information pages of businesses, brands, organizations, and communities on Zalo. Nearly 70,300 people aged 14 and above have transaction accounts at banks or other authorized organizations, reaching 85.26% of the total population in that age group. In addition, 100% of medical facilities and schools have implemented cashless payment methods. In the 2023-2024 school year, 84.1% of all students used cashless payment methods.

Ms. Le Thi Hong, from To Hieu Ward, City, shared: "Although I have two children studying at the school, I no longer need to go to each classroom to pay tuition fees like before. Paying tuition fees through my electronic account saves me time and is very convenient."

To encourage the use of cashless payments, the city has built five "Market 4.0" and implemented QR codes at business locations, facilitating electronic payments for customers. In addition, it has intensified efforts to promote and encourage policy beneficiaries, social welfare recipients, and war veterans to open bank accounts to receive monthly allowances. Since the beginning of the year alone, policy payments have been made to over 10,000 war veterans and social welfare recipients through bank accounts, totaling over 8.5 billion VND, accounting for 83% of the total number of beneficiaries in the city.

The achievements in digital transformation serve as a foundation for the city to move towards a transparent and modern administration, enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of state management, building a digital society, contributing to promoting socio-economic development, and better serving the needs of citizens and businesses.

Phan Trang