Vinh City: Overcoming difficulties in land clearance.

(Baonghean) - In several key projects, Vinh City has intensified its propaganda and mobilization efforts, while ensuring transparency and timely payment of compensation and support for land clearance to residents. Immediately after implementing these plans, the city promptly carried out relocation and land clearance according to schedule… These efforts have made a positive contribution to the implementation of projects in the area.

The starting point of the 72-meter road project connecting Quan Bau intersection in Vinh City to Cua Lo Town, located in Ha Huy Tap ward, has now basically completed land compensation and clearance work and is handing over the land to the construction unit. Mr. Tran Xuan Ha - Deputy Director of the Vinh City Land Fund Development Center said: “One of the most difficult points in the land compensation and clearance work for the 72-meter road project was the 39 families in Ha Huy Tap ward. When implementing the compensation work, the center coordinated with relevant levels and sectors, focusing on propaganda, mobilization, and conducting public and transparent compensation and land clearance prices, based on State regulations to ensure the highest benefits for the people… Therefore, the families subject to relocation at the starting point of this 72-meter road project have received compensation payments from the Land Fund Development Center as quickly as possible, totaling over 93 billion 614 million VND.”

The land compensation and clearance work for the starting point of the 72m road in Ha Huy Tap ward (Vinh City) has been basically completed.

Along with households that had to be relocated to make way for the construction of the 72m road, 66 households in Ha Huy Tap ward were also affected by the upgrading and renovation project of the North Canal (section 3), of which 20 households required resettlement. According to the approved plan, the compensation amount is 34 billion VND, and to date, 48 households have received compensation and support, and handed over the land for construction. Mr. Le Van Ngoc, Secretary of the Party Committee of Ha Huy Tap Ward, said: “To effectively carry out land clearance work, the ward implemented Resolution 02 of the Vinh City Party Committee and Directive 03 of the Standing Committee of the City Party Committee on enhancing the role of Party committees at all levels and the responsibility of Party members in implementing compensation and land clearance. Along with that, the ward leaders directly propagated, explained, and mobilized households to strictly comply with State regulations and worked with relevant levels and sectors to promptly resolve entitlements and policies for the people. As a result, the land clearance for two important provincial projects related to the ward has been basically completed. However, some households are still concerned because the planning, compensation, and support work has not been timely, and there is no resettlement area yet. We are requesting the City People's Committee to resolve this reasonably, helping people feel secure and stable in their lives.”

In recent times, Vinh City has implemented many basic construction investment projects, including key national and provincial projects. To meet the urgent requirements for project progress, land compensation and clearance has become one of the important tasks and a source of pressure for Vinh City. Mr. Ha Thanh Tinh - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Vinh City, said: “In 2014, 40 projects in Vinh City had their compensation plans approved with a total compensation and support amount of 650 billion VND. To complete this important task, Vinh City has issued a plan for implementing land compensation and clearance work, prioritizing projects and setting deadlines for completion. During this process, the city assigned specific tasks and responsibilities to each relevant collective and individual. Coordination with all levels and sectors has been strengthened to promote and encourage people to comply with land clearance regulations…”

In key national and provincial projects, the leaders of Vinh City, along with the Land Development Center and local leaders, directly engage in dialogue, explain, and persuade households to accept compensation plans and make timely payments, thus gaining the people's agreement and support. In some projects, after understanding the people's sentiments, Vinh City flexibly carries out relocation while simultaneously completing the necessary paperwork and land clearance according to the project's schedule. With this approach, projects such as the upgrading and expansion of National Highway 1A, the Quan Hanh - Quan Banh section; the intersection of the North-South railway overpass with National Highway 1A at Nghi Kim; and the intersection of the North-South railway overpass with National Highway 46 in Cua Nam ward... have been completed on schedule in terms of land clearance and have been commended and rewarded by the province.

Specifically, this includes compensation for land clearance for the construction project of the Vocational Training and Farmer Support Center of the Provincial Farmers' Association on a plot of land nearly 8,000m2 in size, located in Trung Nghia block, Dong Vinh ward, Vinh City. In this project, thanks to effective public relations work and transparent information, land clearance proceeded very smoothly. Furthermore, households whose land was expropriated for the project even allowed the investor to delay payment of 2/3 of the compensation for a considerable period… Mr. Nguyen Huu Nhi, Chairman of the Provincial Farmers' Association, shared: “The results achieved are largely due to public relations work. To do this well, we need to trust and rely on the grassroots organizations and associations. These are the closest to the people, understanding their thoughts and concerns most closely. In addition, the organizations involved in land acquisition and clearance need to publicly and transparently disclose all relevant information, ensuring that no regulations issued by the State to support families whose land is expropriated are overlooked. Doing so will show the people that their land is being cared for and that they are being supported…”

Another achievement in Vinh City's land clearance work is the establishment of a digital database on land acquisition, compensation, support, and resettlement, tracking resettlement land funds and auction land funds, facilitating coordination in compensation and support for land clearance. In addition, Vinh City has perfected the system of forms outlining the steps for compensation, support, and resettlement when the State acquires land, thus creating very positive changes in the land clearance compensation process. Mr. Nguyen Hoang Minh, Director of the Vinh City Land Fund Development Center, said: “In recent times, policies on land acquisition, compensation, resettlement, and basic construction investment have changed, especially with the amended Land Law effective from July 1, 2014. But with the involvement of the entire political system, high efficiency has been achieved.”

Currently, Vinh City is focusing on completing land clearance for key projects before December 31, 2014, including the 72m road project (the section through Nghi Phu commune includes 52 households); the expansion project of Vinh University's campus 1; the resettlement area in Quan Bau ward; land clearance for households in landslide-prone areas on Quyet mountain; the construction project of the Hong Son ward People's Committee headquarters… Along with completing land clearance to hand over the land in a timely manner to construction units, Vinh City will focus on land clearance for several large projects serving the construction of the Eurowindow Tower, the renovation project of Block B of Quang Trung apartment complex invested by VinGroup, the Cancer Hospital project phase 2, and the Becamex Binh Duong project in Hung Chinh commune…”.

Despite positive results, land clearance in Vinh City still faces many difficulties due to a lack of compensation funds, insufficient land for resettlement areas, and unresolved issues regarding land compensation prices. Furthermore, determining the land area limit for residential land used before December 18, 1980, without proper documentation, and agreeing on a compensation and support pricing scheme for agricultural and garden land acquisition by the State, are complex issues requiring greater involvement and effort from all levels, sectors, and the city government.

Hoang Vinh