The Government assigned the Ministry of Home Affairs to develop a pilot project to merge provinces.

One of the contents of the Government's Action Program to implement Resolution No. 27 dated November 9, 2022 of the 6th Conference of the 13th Party Central Committee on continuing to build and perfect the socialist rule-of-law State of Vietnam in the new period is to continue to innovate the organization and operation of the Government and local authorities. At the same time, build a state administration that serves the people, is professional, rule-of-law, modern, effective and efficient.

In particular, the Government stated that it will continue to innovate the organization and operation of the Government and local authorities in the direction of streamlining, effective and efficient operations; organize ministries and multi-sectoral and multi-field specialized agencies; reasonably reduce the number of ministries, ministerial-level agencies and specialized agencies under the People's Committees at the provincial and district levels.

The Government assigned the Ministry of Home Affairs to develop a pilot project to merge provinces. (Photo: Ministry of Home Affairs headquarters)

The Government requires continuing to arrange district- and commune-level administrative units; piloting the arrangement of provincial-level administrative units in accordance with the overall planning of administrative units of the country and each locality; building specific mechanisms, institutions, and policies to promote regional development and strong enough regional linkages to meet the requirements of socio-economic development and ensure national defense and security.

Building the Project "Organizational structure of the 16th Government"

The Government assigned the Ministry of Home Affairs to preside over and coordinate with the Ministry of Justice and other ministries and branches to help the Government continue to innovate the organization and operation of the Government and local authorities; and build a state administration that serves the people, is professional, has the rule of law, is modern, effective, and efficient.

The Ministry of Home Affairs shall preside over and coordinate with relevant agencies and organizations to review, develop criteria and evaluate the results of the implementation of the restructuring of local governments, administrative agencies and public service units to ensure streamlining, quality and effective operation.

The Ministry of Home Affairs was also assigned to develop the Project "Continuing to arrange district- and commune-level administrative units; piloting the arrangement of provincial-level administrative units in accordance with the overall planning of national and local administrative units" to submit to the Government in 2025.

In addition, the Government assigned the Ministry of Home Affairs to develop the Project "Organizational structure of the 16th Government to meet the requirements of building and perfecting the socialist rule-of-law state of Vietnam in the new period".

Meanwhile, the Project "Improving the mechanism for controlling the power of agencies exercising executive power over agencies exercising legislative and judicial power" will be submitted by the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences in coordination with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Justice and relevant agencies to the Government Party Committee in 2024.

Previously, answering VietNamNet's question at the end of 2022 regarding the arrangement of provincial-level administrative units according to the Party's policy, Director of the Department of Local Government Phan Trung Tuan said that Resolution No. 27 of the Central Committee further specified the content of the document of the 13th National Party Congress, including the content of "studying and piloting the arrangement of provincial-level administrative units".

In the coming period, the pilot study on the arrangement of provincial-level administrative units must be carefully studied to report to competent authorities for approval at the appropriate stage.

“The arrangement of provincial administrative units affects many aspects, both the feelings of cadres, civil servants and people in a province. This has many impacts, so it must be carefully studied, cautious and have its impacts assessed on many aspects before proposing to the competent authority to implement the pilot policy at the appropriate time,” Mr. Tuan explained.

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Nguyen Duy Thang also said that Resolution No. 27 of the Central Committee clearly stated that it was a “pilot study”. Therefore, there must be a very thorough research project, consistent with the planning of administrative units at all levels, consistent with urban and rural planning, and must have sufficient political, legal and practical bases. This must be reported to the Politburo, the Central Conference, and the National Assembly. The arrangement of provincial-level administrative units is under the authority of the National Assembly to decide.

Deputy Minister Nguyen Duy Thang affirmed that currently, the Ministry of Home Affairs has no specific proposal to arrange any province with any other province, but must study it very carefully and submit it to the competent authority.