Director of the Department of Home Affairs: Merging villages and hamlets urgently but not rigidly

Clarifying the issues that delegates were concerned about at the discussion session in the hall on the morning of July 11, the 9th session of the 17th Provincial People's Council, related to the work of merging villages and hamlets, Director of the Department of Home Affairs Dau Van Thanh affirmed that this is a difficult and sensitive task that needs attention, so in addition to the documents of the Provincial People's Committee, the Department of Home Affairs has invited local leaders to a direct meeting to thoroughly grasp, present viewpoints, goals, and discuss implementation plans.

Director of the Department of Home Affairs Dau Van Thanh answered and clarified the opinions of delegates who were concerned about merging villages, hamlets, and residential groups. Photo: Thanh Cuong

During the merger process, the Department of Home Affairs followed Circular 14 of the Ministry of Home Affairs, which considered specific factors such as geographical location, terrain, customs, residential groups located in land acquisition, resettlement planning, isolated villages, difficult traffic, etc. to have consideration, not to be left-wing, rigid, causing consequences and problems after the merger.

"With the very urgent but cautious directive ideology, political determination, leadership determination in implementing the resolution must be democratic, the people must agree" - the head of the Home Affairs sector emphasized.

According to Mr. Thanh, as an advisory unit for the Provincial People's Committee, the Department of Home Affairs has forecasted difficulties, consequences, and problems arising after the merger regarding staff, offices, administrative boundaries, and personal administrative procedures to have solutions and directions.

In the process of systematically implementing the prescribed steps, any unit that has difficulty or people do not agree will not be approved.

Regarding the regime and policies for village and hamlet officials, the head of the provincial Home Affairs Department said that the Government issued Decree 34 on April 1, 2019, clearly stating that the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs will guide the implementation and this Decree will take effect from June 25, 2019.

Decree 34 amends and supplements a number of articles, stipulating the number of cadres for type 1 communes is 23 people, type 2 communes is 21 people, type 3 communes is 19 people. Accordingly, regulations on allowances for village and hamlet cadres are issued.

According to Decree 34 of the Government, at the hamlet level, there are no more than 3 cadres: Party cell secretary, hamlet chief and head of the front work committee. Specialized cadres are not included in the specific payroll.

Up to now, the Ministry of Home Affairs has not yet had any instructions on implementing Decree 34 of the Government. After having specific instructions, the Department of Home Affairs will submit to the Provincial People's Committee to issue regulations on allowances for village and hamlet officials in the province.

Nghi Loc district officials discussed with residents of hamlet 1, Nghi Hop commune about merging hamlets. Photo: Thanh Le

For difficult and problematic areas after the merger, the Director of the Department of Home Affairs affirmed that this unit will work with the districts to carefully review arising issues and consequences to have specific solutions to resolve the number of redundant cadres, regimes, policies, allowances for cadres, use of facilities, headquarters, cultural houses, etc.