Who Is Responsible for Improper Payments Under Decree 178?

Recovering benefits paid incorrectly under Vietnam’s Decree 178, and determining who approved payments to ineligible recipients, have become major concerns among readers of Thanh Niên. The discussion followed reports from the Government Inspectorate and the State Audit Office that identified numerous errors in implementing the policy. The Ministry of Home Affairs has ordered a review of all cases involving employees who left their jobs under the decree.

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If the money was paid to the wrong recipient, will it be recovered?

One of the main questions is whether money paid to people who did not meet the rules must be recovered. Reader Ruongconghung10101975 asked whether authorities would reclaim payments made to the wrong recipients. Another reader, Mot Ho, sought clear figures on how much money had been recovered and asked what would happen to officials responsible if authorities recovered all, or only part, of the improperly paid amount.

Other readers said authorities should identify those who benefited from incorrect payments and return the money to the state budget. Xuan Sinh Mai called for the excess payments to be recovered immediately and for officials who made mistakes to face serious disciplinary action. But some readers said recovery could be difficult when recipients had already spent the money. One suggested gradually deducting the amount from pension payments.

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Please recover the excess money immediately and strictly deal with officials who made mistakes so that people can have more faith in society.

The comments also focused on accountability. Reader Thanh said beneficiaries under Decree 178 were not at fault and that the individuals and agencies responsible for advising on and approving recipients and payment funds should bear full responsibility. Trịnh Cường called for improperly paid money to be returned and for authorities to determine why the mistake happened and who was involved.

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People receiving benefits under Decree 178 are not at fault. If the payments were made incorrectly, the individuals and agencies that directly advised on and approved the recipients and payment funds must bear full responsibility.

Other readers noted the pressure faced by officials implementing the policy, including tight deadlines that could make mistakes difficult to avoid. Several called for a case-by-case review to distinguish eligible recipients from ineligible ones and identify where responsibility lay, rather than handling the matter in bulk.

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The review is the right approach. Each case must be examined, including which cases meet the conditions and which do not.