Concerns about reduced land allocation for residents of Son Lam commune who have been resettled.
Hundreds of relocated households in Son Lam commune are worried that the new land allocation limits under Decision No. 82/2025/QD-UBND of the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee may be lower than the area they were initially allocated. The discrepancy between the resettlement plan and the new regulations puts many families at risk of having their rights curtailed after nearly 20 years of stable living.
Concerns arise as land allocation limits for housing are at risk of being reduced.
On November 5, 2025, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 82/2025/QD-UBND, regulating the land allocation limits, recognition of residential land, and conditions for land subdivision and consolidation in the province. This document aims to concretize these regulations.Land Law 2024and create uniformity in land management.
However, when applied in Son Lam commune (formerly part of Ngoc Lam and Thanh Son communes of Thanh Chuong district), an area with a high concentration of people resettled due to the Ban Ve Hydropower Project, many problems arose, particularly concerning the land rights of the households.
Going back in time, about 20 years ago, to make way for a hydroelectric project, thousands of households left their hometowns in the former Tuong Duong district and moved to new resettlement areas. At that time, each household was allocated approximately 400m² of residential land, in addition to land for production.
This is considered the foundation for families to stabilize their lives. On that land, in addition to the resettlement houses, many households later renovated their homes, improved their gardens, planted fruit trees, and dug fish ponds; some families boldly invested in raising buffaloes, cows, black pigs, and free-range chickens, creating a relatively sustainable livelihood. Over time, the once sparsely populated resettlement areas have now become villages with stable lifestyles.
The people considered that 400m² plot of land as a "commitment" from the State to them, because it was the minimum condition for them to settle down peacefully after leaving their ancestral homeland. However, according to Decision No. 82 mentioned above, the new residential land limit in Son Lam commune is only 250m² for plots adjacent to national and provincial roads, and 350m² for other locations.
This is truly worrying, because in Son Lam commune, there are still 344 households that have not been granted initial land use right certificates. For nearly two decades, they have used the allocated land area correctly, without encroaching or expanding. Now, if the new land use limit is applied, the recognized residential land area will be significantly lower, leading to many legal complications.
Mr. Ngan Van Thang from Tan Ngoc village - one of the households resettled from Lap and Kim Tien villages (formerly Tuong Duong district) shared: "We resettled people came here according to the policy. Back then, we used as much land as the State allocated to us. If the residential land area is reduced now, it will not be in line with the original policy."
That worry isn't unique to Mr. Thang. Many households say that over the years, they have renovated their houses, expanded their livestock pens, redone their yards, or allocated a portion of the land for their children to build houses within the property. If the residential land area is reduced, the structures that have legally existed for nearly two decades will have to be adjusted.
Another resident frankly shared: "We were resettled according to the government's policy. Now that we're living stably, the land allocation is smaller than before, so who can feel secure?"
Not only are the residents worried, but the local government is also "stuck." If the new residential land limits are applied, many plots of land will have to have their residential and garden land areas re-determined, even though the entire area where people live was previously allocated under the resettlement land plan. This creates inconsistencies between households that were previously granted land use rights certificates and those currently undergoing the application process.
Adjustments are needed soon.
According to a report from the People's Committee of Son Lam commune, the entire commune currently has 2,058 households that have been granted land use right certificates for residential land, with a total area of over 27 hectares. There are still 344 households that have not yet been granted land use right certificates. This group will also be most affected when the new land use limit is applied.
It is known that, in the past period, Son Lam commune has actively coordinated with relevant units to resolve outstanding issues in land allocation and issuance of land use right certificates to resettled people. The People's Committee of Son Lam commune has also worked with the Management Board of Hydropower Plant 2 and signed an authorization contract to implement land allocation and issuance of land use right certificates to the remaining households; at the same time, it has hired a consulting unit to carry out the technical contents according to the contract, ensuring the correct process and progress.
In addition, the commune organized direct dialogues with households that had not yet been allocated residential land and worked with the Protective Forest Management Board to review the current land use status; at the same time, it issued two conclusions and one specific plan to implement the issuance of initial residential land use right certificates to households and individuals in the area.
Mr. Nguyen Van Vinh, a specialist from the Economic Department of Son Lam Commune People's Committee, stated: Regarding the issue of land allocation limits, especially in resettlement areas, the commune is currently reviewing the entire actual residential land area of the people. After completing the data, the Commune People's Committee will submit a proposal to the Provincial People's Committee for consideration and specific guidance to ensure the legitimate rights of resettled households and facilitate the process of issuing land use right certificates.
Some argue that, without specific guidance from the provincial level, it is very difficult for communes to explain the situation to the people. This is because households that received land use rights certificates many years ago still retain the same land area as when they were relocated, while those applying now are only recognized with 250-350m². Thus, there is a clear discrepancy that the people find difficult to accept.
It can be seen that the Provincial People's Committee's issuance of Decision No. 82/2025/QD-UBND aims to concretize and implement the provisions of the 2024 Land Law in practice, contributing to unified management and transparency of procedures for land allocation, recognition of residential land, and land subdivision throughout the province.
However, looking at the reality in Son Lam commune, the issue of land allocation limits is not just a technical matter but is directly related to the resettlement commitments that have been intertwined with the lives of the people for nearly two decades. When people have left their old homes according to the State's policy, their land rights need to be consistently protected, avoiding disparities between households simply because of different land issuance dates.
Many argue that the new residential land allocation limits need exceptions or flexible guidelines for resettlement areas, as previously approved resettlement plans have already clearly defined the area allocated to each household. Reducing the residential land area to a level lower than the previous plan could easily lead to complaints and create policy conflicts.
