Director of Department of Natural Resources and Environment: There is a phenomenon of investors completing procedures just to keep land.

Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Nguyen Xuan Son chaired the question and answer session on the afternoon of July 11, the 9th session of the 17th Provincial People's Council. Photo: Thanh Cuong

The suspended project has not been completely resolved.

Questioning the Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DONRE), delegate Ngo Thi Thu Hien (Vinh City) asked: How many projects have leased land for more than 24 months but have not been implemented, and what measures will be taken to handle these projects in the coming time?

Delegate Ngo Thi Thu Hien (Vinh city unit) asked questions. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Regarding the slow-progressing projects, delegate Dinh Thi An Phong (Nghi Loc unit) expressed her concern: Recently, the Provincial People's Committee has established inspection teams, but many projects with large areas, many years have not been implemented, causing land waste and have not been completely handled. Regarding the FLC project that has been implemented for 3 years but is "lying still", the delegate asked whether this project will continue to be implemented?

"Public opinion says that some projects complete initial procedures to request land allocation, then do not complete further procedures but still keep the land, when other businesses have the opportunity to invest, they have to buy it back" - delegate Dinh Thi An Phong expressed her opinion.

Delegate Tran Dinh Toan (Thanh Chuong unit) questioned about land planning management. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Clarifying the opinions of interested delegates, the Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment informed: In the province, there are over 100 projects that are behind schedule for over 24 months. The Department of Natural Resources and Environment has conducted inspections of these projects. After the inspection, the Department has proposed to revoke 7 projects.

Regarding the FLC Project, the head of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment affirmed that he really wanted the project to be implemented but it has not been implemented yet. Mr. Viet shared his wish to have a big project to create momentum for the province, but the delay is related to the authority of the Central Government.

Clarifying the situation of investors “hoarding land”, the Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment admitted that this phenomenon exists, leading to lost opportunities and lack of transparency in investment. Taking into account the opinions of delegates, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment will advise on additional tasks for the inspection teams. In the near future, the teams will conduct more thorough inspections to put the land area of ​​these projects into use according to the planning, improve land use efficiency; create opportunities for capable investors.

Clarify responsibilities

Questioning the Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, delegate Thai Thi An Chung (Tan Ky unit) cited the Director of the Department's explanatory report analyzing the existence, subjective and objective causes in the management of investment projects, in which it was clearly stated that the main responsibility belongs to the investor. The departments, branches and People's Committees of localities bear part of the responsibility. The delegate said that such an assessment of responsibility is not satisfactory, and requested the Director of the Department to clarify the responsibilities of the relevant departments, branches and localities.

Responding to this opinion, the Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment affirmed that the Department of Natural Resources and Environment is one of the units participating in approving the investment project policies and must bear partial responsibility, and related sectors and localities must bear responsibility in the State management of investment projects.

A project that has been suspended for many years without implementation in Cua Lo town. Photo: Thanh Le

The head of the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment said that to improve the effectiveness of State management of investment projects, the key solution throughout is inspection and supervision, thereby detecting violations and handling them promptly.

In addition, at the question and answer session, the Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment clarified issues related to the progress of granting Land Use Right Certificates; administrative reform solutions to speed up the progress of granting Land Use Right Certificates and handling procedures for investors.

From 2016 to now, the whole province has attracted 502 investment projects with a planned land area of ​​30,520.35 hectares, total registered investment capital of 84,151 billion VND (of which, the number of approved projects in the Southeast economic zone is 87 projects, with a planned land area of ​​847.35 hectares, total registered investment capital of 19,599.6 billion VND).

The number of projects that have allocated land and leased land from 2016 to present is 303 projects, with an area of ​​3,164.1 hectares; the remaining 199 projects are projects that have attracted or been approved for investment, projects that have approved detailed construction plans, projects that are implementing compensation for site clearance but have not yet allocated land or leased land.

Focus on 4 key solutions

Concluding this content, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Son - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council emphasized that this is a big and very important issue and the management work faces many difficulties and complications.

The purpose of the questioning session is to continue to identify shortcomings, limitations, and violations; propose solutions to better manage and use land resources; improve the efficiency of investment attraction; develop the socio-economy; and ensure harmony of interests between the State, people, and businesses.

Delegate Nguyen Luong Hong (Quynh Luu unit) questioned about land management. Photo: Thanh Cuong

From practice and through questioning and answering questions, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Council highly appreciated the efforts of all levels and sectors, determined to implement many solutions to gradually put land use management into order and become more and more effective.

To overcome the above limitations and shortcomings, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Council requested the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to continue advising the Provincial People's Committee to synchronously implement more positive solutions, focusing on 4 groups of solutions.

Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Vo Duy Viet answered and clarified the questions. Photo: Thanh Cuong

The first,Continue to effectively implement Directive No. 01/CT-TTg dated January 3, 2018 of the Prime Minister on rectifying and strengthening land management and building a land information system; focus on reviewing and abolishing legal documents on land under the authority of the Provincial People's Committee.

Monday,Focus on directing and handling current shortcomings in land management and use: review and strictly handle investment projects with violations, projects that are not implemented, are behind schedule, and have financial obligations.

Improve the quality of investment approval appraisal and construction planning appraisal; do not approve investment in projects where investors have many violations. Timely and effectively rectify shortcomings in land use rights auctions, land encroachment, illegal conversion of land use purposes, construction in violation of planning or issued licenses.

Focus on reviewing and promptly resolving problems in compensation and site clearance work; issuing new and exchanging Land Use Right Certificates.

Tuesday,Focus on resolving disputes, complaints, denunciations, petitions, and reflections on land, especially complicated, crowded, prolonged, and high-level cases. Proactively receive, handle, and thoroughly and promptly resolve feedback from people participating in monitoring the implementation of the Land Law.

Wednesday,It is necessary to focus on directing and implementing administrative reform well in the direction of promoting administrative procedure reform, shortening implementation time, and avoiding inconvenience for people and businesses.