Ha Long eyes over-20-percent annual growth in cashless payments

DNHN - Ha Long city is hoping for an average annual growth rate of 20 - 25 percent in the number and value of cashless payments by 2025.

The city in the northern province of Quang Ninh recently held a teleconference on the implementation of a project on non-cash payment development for the 2022 - 2025 period across its 33 communes and wards.

In this project, it looks to record fast growth of cashless payment in the local economy, turn the use of cashless payment methods into a habit of urban residents, gradually develop this type of payment in rural areas, and reduce social costs related to cash.

Among the tasks to be performed, Ha Long will work to guarantee security and safety for cashless payments, improve the banking system’s operational efficiency and state authorities’ supervision and management effectiveness, and strongly apply achievements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to develop a convenient and effective payment infrastructure system, thereby helping build a digital administration, economy, and society.

It expects that by 2025, at least 90 percent of the residents aged 15 and above will have cashless transaction accounts, cashless payments in e-commerce account for 50 percent of the total, and the number and value of non-cash transactions increase by 20 - 25 percent annually on average.

Up to 99 percent of contributions to the State budget and 100 percent of tuition fees at local schools and educational establishments are hoped to be paid without using cash.

In April this year, the Quang Ninh People’s Committee agreed on a proposal for piloting a smart tourism model without cash at the Tuan Chau international tourism complex in Ha Long city. The proposal was jointly submitted by the provincial departments of tourism, industry and trade, and information and communications, along with the State Bank of Vietnam branch in Quang Ninh.

Accordingly, the committee permitted relevant units to work with the Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group to carry out this model on a trial basis for 12 months, starting in May 2022.

In February, Ha Long put into use the Ha Long Smart app with a view to boost digital transformation and smart city building.

Via this app, part of the intelligent operations centre (IOC) in Ha Long, people can easily report problems to authorities, access online public services, and seek routes to agency and departmental headquarters, tourist attractions, hotels, schools, healthcare facilities and pharmacies, while staying up-to-date with information from local administrations and media outlets.

The app also provides contact details for health stations from grassroots to provincial levels so people can access COVID-19 treatment advice, local authorities said.

All public opinions given via Ha Long Smart will be sent to the IOC and then to the agencies in charge of the issues mentioned for settlement. Settlement results will also be publicised on the app so that people can check and assess state agencies’ performance.

Authorities said the app will help increase state agencies’ interaction with locals, thereby contributing to a civilised, modern, open, transparent, and friendly living environment in the city. More functions will be added to the app in order to further connect people with one another and the administration.

The moves by Ha Long are part of Quang Ninh’s efforts to strongly develop the digital economy and establish itself as a role model in comprehensive digital transformation at a provincial level.

Among the targets for 2030, the province hopes the digital economy will account for about 30 percent of GDRP and labour productivity increase by over 13 percent annually.

Besides, it targets 100 percent of the papers at the district and communal levels be handled digitally, 99 percent of the local adults having e-payment accounts, and 90 percent of state agencies’ monitoring and examination activities be conducted in the digital environment and their information systems. It also eyes at least 500 digital businesses by 2030.

Quang Ninh ranked fourth among the country's 63 provinces and cities in the 2020 Digital Transformation Index rankings, released last October, following Da Nang city and the provinces of Thua Thien-Hue and Bac Ninh.

VNA