In late 2023, the government supplemented the 2023 budget with an additional 1.275 trillion VND for Nghe An province. This funding was allocated to compensate for land clearance for the expansion of National Highway 1A, which falls under the central budget’s responsibilities.
Although the Nghe An People’s Committee established a steering committee to distribute the 1.275 trillion VND compensation, challenges persist in the disbursement process.
Recently, the Nghe An People’s Committee organized a meeting to address these challenges and remove obstacles in handling complaints, approving compensation plans, and expediting the disbursement of the additional funds for the National Highway 1A upgrade and expansion projects.
Based on the initial registration, the Nghe An Provincial People’s Council has issued a resolution, and the Nghe An People’s Committee has decided to allocate the funds to the respective localities. Specifically, Vinh City received nearly VND 22 billion, Dien Chau received VND 512 billion, Quynh Luu received nearly VND 123 billion, and Hoang Mai Town received VND 618 billion.
However, according to a summary by the Nghe An Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the approval of compensation plans for land clearance by the localities has been slow. This delay is attributed to a lack of decisive leadership and implementation in some areas.
Hoang Mai Town, for instance, has completed the approval of compensation plans for land clearance with a budget of VND 42.82 billion. Quynh Luu District has also finished approving compensation plans, amounting to VND 70.615 billion. Meanwhile, Dien Chau District has yet to approve any land clearance plans, and Vinh City’s inspection and review found no eligible beneficiaries for compensation and support.
The leadership of Hoang Mai Town’s People’s Committee pointed out ongoing challenges regarding the extraction and measurement of households in Quynh Xuan Ward. They requested guidance and directions to handle these challenges so that they could issue decisions to resolve citizens’ complaints in accordance with the law.
Regarding Quynh Luu District, land plots in Cau Giat Town have historically been excluded from the 13.5-meter range. However, local opinions suggest that families with land origins before 1980 used the land up to the roadside, and compensation documents from 1995 to 1998 indicate that assets were within the 13.5-meter range. It is anticipated that households in Cau Giat Town will file complaints if they are not considered for compensation within this range.
In Dien Chau District, the review and confirmation of land-use origins and affected areas have encountered challenges due to multiple land transfers, with transferred land areas excluding the PMU1 boundary. Additionally, many landowners are not present in the locality, making it difficult for the communes to verify land origins and establish compensation plans to avoid errors.
From 2018 to 2023, the Nghe An Provincial Court received 73 cases related to land compensation for National Highway 1A and handled 71 of them. The Hanoi High Court also handled 59 cases of appeals from 2019 onwards, upholding the original verdicts and dismissing citizens’ appeals.
Le Hong Vinh, Vice Chairman of the Nghe An People’s Committee, emphasized that time is limited, and the necessary guidance and funding are already in place. He urged the localities to refer to the steering documents provided by the provincial People’s Committee and departments. Additionally, he recommended re-examining previously disbursed cases to provide supplementary payments if eligible for compensation.
The localities were instructed to develop detailed disbursement plans for the allocated funds, promptly addressing any challenges encountered. They were also instructed to complete payments to households with approved land clearance plans by September 30, 2024, approve plans for the remaining households by October 30, 2024, and finish all payments by November 30, 2024.
