Decentralization of planning approval authority for Hai Phong City, Can Tho City, Nghe An and Thanh Hoa provinces

On the afternoon of April 13, Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh chaired a meeting on the draft Decision of the Prime Minister regulating the decentralization of approval authority and procedures for approving partial adjustments to the general planning for construction of functional areas, and partial adjustments to urban planning in Hai Phong City, Can Tho City, Nghe An Province and Thanh Hoa Province.

Overview of the meeting.

Implementing the Resolution of the National Assembly, the Ministry of Construction has chaired the drafting of the Prime Minister's Decision regulating the decentralization of local planning adjustments for these four provinces and cities. The decentralization of authority to the People's Committees of provinces and cities aims to shorten the time, in line with the pilot model in the direction of decentralization, and enhance the responsibility of localities in the management and implementation of planning.

At the same time, it creates conditions for provinces and cities to be more proactive in management, operation, removing difficulties and obstacles and promptly implementing tasks and solutions for socio-economic development in the area. Thereby, mobilizing and effectively using investment resources from the budget as well as from society, people, investors and businesses for development.

At the conference, ministries and branches said that it is necessary to clarify the criteria for local adjustments, to avoid local adjustments affecting the approved master plan. Some opinions agreed that when there are different opinions on planning adjustments between localities and the Ministry of Construction, the opinion of the Ministry of Construction has the meaning of "arbitration", and it is not necessary to push it to the Prime Minister. At the same time, they agreed with the regulation that the time for collecting opinions on the content of local adjustments to the master plan is at least 40 days for residential communities and 15 days for relevant agencies and organizations. Localities also said that decentralization will help increase initiative in implementing socio-economic development tasks associated with local realities.

Concluding the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh said that decentralization to localities is very necessary to create development momentum. However, the Deputy Prime Minister noted that strong decentralization also requires strict inspection and control. These are two parallel tasks, avoiding emphasizing one task and neglecting another. Close monitoring is needed to avoid decentralization of planning adjustments affecting the overall urban planning approved by the Prime Minister.

In that spirit, the Deputy Prime Minister suggested that it is necessary to accelerate decentralization to remove difficulties for localities, while at the same time preserving the planned urban landscape, especially avoiding subjectivity and negligence at the grassroots level, leading to inappropriate adjustments. The Deputy Prime Minister stated that the draft regulations need to clearly state the principles of adjustment, so that when localities implement them.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh requested the Ministry of Construction to complete and report to the Prime Minister to issue a decision before April 30. Photo: VGP/Duc Tuan

“We hope that this decentralization decision will include principles or boundaries for adjustment. Local adjustments must ensure that the indicators, standards, and ratios of trees, technical infrastructure, social infrastructure, and social security works in urban areas serving the local community and people remain the same or increase. Do not locally adjust the planning for areas planned for trees, water surfaces, and social security works to housing and commercial business,” said Mr. Le Van Thanh.

The Deputy Prime Minister suggested that after the pilot implementation, it is necessary to review and evaluate the results of the decentralization implementation of these provinces and cities. At the same time, he requested the Ministry of Construction to complete and report to the Prime Minister to issue a decision before April 30./.