National Assembly Standing Committee Discusses Administrative Unit Reorganization
On the afternoon of the 5-6th, the National Assembly Standing Committee (NASC) discussed the proposal to rearrange provincial-level administrative units for 2025 and considered and passed in principle the resolutions on rearranging communal-level administrative units for the same year.
After discussions, with 100% of the members present agreeing, the NASC passed in principle the resolutions on rearranging communal-level administrative units for 2025. The NASC also concluded that after the National Assembly decides on the establishment of provinces and central-affiliated cities and passes the Law on Local Government Organization, the Chairman of the National Assembly will sign and issue the resolutions of the NASC on rearranging the administrative units at the communal level in 34 provinces and centrally-run cities after the reorganization.
The NASC requested that the NA Office coordinate with relevant agencies to advise the NASC to submit to the NA to adjust the program of the 9th session for the NA to soon pass the resolutions on rearranging administrative units at the provincial level.
Earlier, presenting the Government’s proposal, Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra said that out of the current total of 10,035 communal-level administrative units, 9,907 units (7,571 communes, 1,719 wards, and 617 towns) will be rearranged, and 128 units (123 communes and 5 wards) will remain unchanged. The provinces and centrally-run cities have built 3,193 plans for rearrangement to form 3,193 new communal-level administrative units (2,498 communes, 682 wards, and 13 special districts), reducing 6,714 units, reaching a reduction rate of 66.91%.
Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra presents the Government’s proposal. Photo: Lam Hien
Speaking at the session, NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man noted that it is very important to address the regime policies for a number of specialized and semi-specialized officials after the rearrangement of communal-level administrative units. Along with that, key officials must be selected after the reorganization.
According to the NA Chairman, among these 3,321 communal-level administrative units, who will be the secretary, chairman of the People’s Committee, chairman of the People’s Council… is very important, as there will be more than 1,000 provincial and district-level tasks transferred to the communes. The chairman of the People’s Committee must be well-versed in state management and have practical experience. Therefore, the Ministry of Home Affairs must issue an urgent document to the provinces and cities regarding the selection of personnel. The goal is to strengthen the communes because strong communes make for a strong province, and a strong province makes for a strong central government.
Regarding the rearrangement of provincial-level administrative units in 2025, the Minister of Home Affairs said that the Government has built 23 plans for 52 units to form 23 new units, including: Tuyen Quang, Lao Cai, Thai Nguyen, Phu Tho, Bac Ninh, Hung Yen, Ninh Binh, Quang Tri, Quang Ngai, Gia Lai, Khanh Hoa, Lam Dong, Daklak, Dong Nai, Tay Ninh, Vinh Long, Dong Thap, Ca Mau, An Giang, Hai Phong city, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang city, and Can Tho city. Thus, with 23 new provincial-level administrative units along with 11 provinces and cities that do not implement provincial-level rearrangement, the country will have 34 provincial-level administrative units, including 6 centrally-run cities and 28 provinces.
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