Land clearance work: If we are good at mass mobilization, we will succeed.

(Baonghean) - In recent years, in some localities, planning, land acquisition, compensation, and support for site clearance and resettlement to implement investment projects have been facing many shortcomings, leading to many projects being behind schedule, and prolonged complaints and lawsuits, causing resentment among the people. One of the reasons for the above limitations and shortcomings is that some sectors and localities have not done a good job of mass mobilization, have not implemented the grassroots democracy regulations well, and have not promoted the people's mastery.

Phase I of the road project connecting Dung Town to Ban Ve Hydropower Resettlement Area was completed early thanks to consensus in site clearance.

Experience in Thanh Chuong

In Thanh Chuong district, the local key projects, the land acquisition and clearance work has been basically successful, contributing to ensuring the progress of the projects, creating high consensus among the people. Mr. Vu Thanh Van is a household subject to resettlement to make way for the road project from the center of Thanh Chuong district to the resettlement area of ​​Ban Ve Hydropower Plant. In order to implement the relocation policy, his family agreed to move to a new location, handing over more than 360m2 previously in Block 6, Dung Town to construct Dung Bridge. The family's life depends on fishing, so when moving to the new location, business was somewhat difficult, but the family still happily complied with the general policy. In the newly built spacious house, Mr. Vu Thanh Van shared: “During the campaign, the district and town leaders personally met and discussed with the family about the effectiveness of the project for the community. In addition, the family's recommendations were also listened to and promptly resolved by the district. Therefore, the family is very sympathetic to the relocation policy.”

Not only Mr. Van's family but also more than 300 households affected by the project implementation, including 4 households that had to resettle, highly agreed with the compensation and site clearance policy of Thanh Chuong district and promptly handed over the site to the construction unit. Thanks to that, currently the entire 9 km of traffic road in phase 1 of the project has basically been completed; Dung bridge is being urgently constructed, striving to open to technical traffic on September 2, 2014. Another project that Thanh Chuong district also implemented site clearance in a short time is the Project of Complex for producing essential oils, medicinal herbs, and high-tech functional foods in Thanh Thuy commune. Within just 6 months since the provincial People's Committee approved the detailed project planning, Thanh Chuong district has completed the site clearance work on a total area of ​​nearly 34 hectares in Thanh Thuy commune and arranged resettlement for 19 households, and at the same time mobilized 281 households with production land in the planning area to agree to hand over the site. The above are 2 projects that have created highlights in the site clearance and resettlement work of Thanh Chuong district, ensuring progress and creating high consensus among the public.

Comrade Nguyen Van Que - Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee, Chairman of the Compensation Council for Land Acquisition and Resettlement of Thanh Chuong District shared: "To achieve high efficiency in land acquisition and resettlement work, in addition to the synchronous participation of the entire political system at all levels, the staff must be really close to the people, grasp the thoughts and aspirations of the people. From there, propose appropriate and timely solutions, ensuring legitimate rights for the people. To do so, the work of mobilizing the government, implementing the democratic regulations at the grassroots level and the people's mastery must be widely deployed and promoted". The way of doing things in Thanh Chuong is also a common experience in planning, land acquisition, compensation, support for land acquisition and resettlement to implement investment projects. Therefore, in the province, many projects have been deployed promptly, ensuring efficiency, contributing to the overall development process of the province. According to statistics, from 2008 to 2013, the province licensed and implemented 3,347 projects, of which 80.2% of projects were implemented on schedule as approved.

Overcoming limitations

The results achieved in planning, land acquisition, compensation, support for site clearance and resettlement of projects play a very important role in the socio-economic development of the province. However, in the implementation process, there are still shortcomings and limitations that need to be overcome. That is, the publicity and democracy and the promotion of people's participation and contribution in planning have not been done well. Many localities have not publicly informed the people and organized to collect people's opinions before the competent authority decides on the planning; some places have implemented it but it is still formal. The adjustment of planning often skips the step of collecting people's opinions. Planning management is considered to be the responsibility of authorities at all levels, not attaching importance to people's participation in supervision. The propaganda, inspection and supervision work of direct superior agencies on mass mobilization and democracy promotion is not regular in some places and at some times.

The work of grasping people's thoughts and aspirations, and resolving complaints and denunciations still has many shortcomings, and the number of complaints and denunciations is still high. Every year, in the province, over 73% of complaints and denunciations are related to the land sector; of which over 51% of complaints and denunciations are related to planning, land acquisition, compensation, and support for site clearance and resettlement to implement socio-economic development investment projects. Many complaints and cases are still lingering, prolonged, overlapping, contradictory, unclear in responsibilities, and do not pay attention to dialogue and contact with the people. In addition, up to 17.2% of constructions and projects in the province are behind schedule, and 2.6% of projects have been revoked. Comrade Le Dinh Ly - Deputy Director of the Department of Home Affairs, Deputy Head of the Steering Committee of the Provincial Government's Mass Mobilization Committee said: The above shortcomings and limitations not only affect the investment efficiency of the project but also affect the rights of the people and the interests of the State.

Based on that reality, in order to overcome the shortcomings and limitations, the province has assigned the Department of Home Affairs to preside over the development of the Project "Strengthening mass mobilization work and implementing grassroots democracy regulations in planning, land acquisition, compensation, support for site clearance, and resettlement to implement investment projects for socio-economic development in Nghe An province". Accordingly, the objective of the project is to expand democracy, promote the role of people as masters in planning, land acquisition, compensation, support for site clearance, and resettlement to implement investment projects for socio-economic development in the province. At the same time, strengthen synchronous coordination, enhance the role and responsibility of organizations in the political system; have appropriate solutions to propagate and mobilize people to effectively implement planning, land acquisition, compensation, support for site clearance, and resettlement to implement projects. Speed ​​up project progress, improve the investment environment, attract domestic and foreign investment. Timely and satisfactorily resolve questions and complaints to ensure the legitimate rights of the people, contributing to creating consensus, political stability, ensuring security, order and social safety.

In particular, the project focuses on promoting the people's mastery in inspecting and supervising the activities of state agencies and cadres, civil servants and public employees in the performance of public duties. Overcoming the situation of imposition, causing trouble, harassment, delay, negativity and corruption in the implementation of investment projects and other related social policies. At the same time, innovating the content and methods of mass mobilization work to suit the new situation, closely following the grassroots, strengthening direct dialogue with the people, contributing to the good implementation of mass mobilization work of the government and the implementation of democracy regulations at the grassroots level in the current new situation. Talking to us, comrade Nguyen Manh Khoi - Deputy Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Mass Mobilization Commission said: "This is an important content in the Provincial Party Committee's action program to effectively implement Resolution No. 25-NQ/TU, dated June 3, 2013 of the 7th Conference of the Party Central Committee, 11th tenure on strengthening and innovating the Party's leadership over mass mobilization work in the new situation. Currently, the project has been appraised by the Provincial People's Committee and is waiting to be submitted to the Provincial Party Committee's Standing Committee for approval in the coming time."

Article and photos:Thanh Duy