'Unleashing' land resources and concerns in parliament

Land is a special national resource, the most important means of production owned by the entire people, managed by the State. Therefore, in each stage of development, land use planning plays a very important role in implementing effective and sustainable socio-economic development tasks.

In reality, land use planning is still slow because it is "out of sync" with the socio-economic development strategy. Realizing the need to reduce the long-standing delay,Standing Committee of the National Assembly, the National Assembly committees and leaders of the National Assembly have paid early and far attention so that the Government can urgently prepare to submit to the National Assembly for consideration the National Land Use Plan for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050 and the 5-year land use plan (2021 - 2025) right at the 2nd Session of the new term, which is considered elaborate, scientific and comprehensive.

Through two group discussion sessions and online discussions, opinions highly appreciated the results of the implementation of land use planning and plans for the period 2011-2020. This work has initially met the requirements of socio-economic development; enhanced the effectiveness and efficiency of state management of land, built infrastructure, created new jobs, increased income, improved people's lives and ensured national defense and security.

National Assembly delegates also frankly pointed out the shortcomings and limitations that need to be overcome, such as the quality of planning not meeting requirements, and there are cases where planning is adjusted arbitrarily, leading to waste, loss, and affecting people's lives. Many targets are lower than the target, with some targets achieving less than 50%. Therefore, it is urgent to thoroughly summarize, accurately assess the overall situation and explain the causes of the above limitations in order to make appropriate adjustments.

Therefore, many specific contents for the coming period were raised by National Assembly deputies, raised issues, debated and suggested to be analyzed and clarified, from the consistency between land use planning and national master planning, sectoral, regional and provincial planning and ensuring consistency with socio-economic development strategies and plans; decentralization and individualization of individual responsibilities; promoting the role of people's supervision and strengthening inspection and supervision of indicators of rice-growing land, protective forest land, production forest land, industrial park land, application of information technology in management... to "untie" land resources, develop quickly and sustainably.

Agreeing that protecting rice-growing land contributes to ensuring national food security, having strategic reserves and exporting, many delegates wondered whether keeping more than 3.5 million hectares is too high when scientific and technological advances help increase productivity while needing to convert land for project investment? How to support localities that play a role in ensuring food security such as the Mekong Delta to develop faster so that they can feel secure in keeping rice-growing land because "farming is hard to get rich" or "leaving farming is not leaving the homeland"? Should the provincial People's Council be empowered to decide on converting land use purposes with larger areas to be proactive and flexible? What sanctions are there to ensure that rice-growing land is not arbitrarily "touched"?...

Or the indicators related to forest land (special-use forests, protective forests, production forests), the problem of harmonizing between ensuring 43% forest cover, protecting the environment, adapting to climate change and creating conditions for local socio-economic development, improving people's lives also needs to be calculated in relation to the regions. Should we reduce the area of ​​protective land in the North Central and Central Coast, Southeast when natural disasters and floods are frequent, how to make people live from the forest; handle the existing, limit land belonging to farms, forestry farms... are raised, suggested for consideration.

In addition, forecasting and planning must be close, ensuring publicity and transparency. Strengthening the organizational structure and improving the capacity of the staff to meet the tasks and requirements in the coming time, strictly handling profiteering and corruption. Promptly amending, supplementing and adjusting the 2013 Land Law in the direction of ensuring harmony of interests and especially not disrupting national land use planning, reducing suspended planning, reducing planning adjustments, reducing land complaints, reducing public concerns about ineffective land use and land waste.

Land always has a direct relationship with the legitimate rights and obligations of people, businesses and the State. Therefore, the management and use of land to ensure good service for immediate and long-term development requirements must be allocated, used reasonably, economically and with the best efficiency. And as Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha said, if we do not change but still approach rigid planning methods, planning that is not based on static and dynamic, dividing into regions and planning that is not based on determining market mechanisms, we are "tying up" land resources.

The draft National Land Use Plan and Plan was implemented by the Government in accordance with the correct procedures, with the right approach, with in-depth discussions, and is being carefully reviewed and considered by the National Assembly before making a decision./.