Minister Đỗ Đức Duy: Citizens Should Not Be Asked to Amend Land Records Post-Provincial and Communal Mergers

Minister of Agriculture and Environment Reports on Decentralization and Devolution of Powers in the Sector

On June 15, as part of the National Online Training Conference on professional knowledge and skills related to Party building, state management, and the organization and operation of the Fatherland Front and political societies at the communal level, Minister of Agriculture and Environment (M.A.E), Do Duc Duy, presented a report on the basic contents of decentralization, devolution, and delineation of authorities in the agriculture and environment sector with the implementation of the two-level local government model.

Minister Duy also shared that through the review and amendment process, the M.A.E has demonstrated its strong political determination in proactively creating a legal framework that aligns with the two-tier local government model. This contributes significantly to ensuring the smooth, efficient, and effective functioning of the new apparatus, in compliance with the law and closer to the people.

According to Minister Duy, the handover and acceptance of decentralized and devolved dossiers will take place within three months from July 1st. As a result of the devolution and decentralization process, 166 competencies and tasks, mainly administrative procedures, have been transferred from the M.A.E Minister to local governments, with the majority being delegated to provincial People’s Committee Chairpersons.

In the devolution and decentralization from the provincial to the communal level, there are 11 competencies and tasks, mainly those related to the local area, individuals, households, and community.

Minister Duy emphasized that the authorities and tasks devolved and decentralized from central agencies and individuals to provincial governments are significant. Among these tasks are several that are being decentralized to localities for the first time, such as licensing for exploration and exploitation of Group II minerals or the inspection of feed and veterinary drug quality, which will be carried out entirely through the National Public Service Portal…

Therefore, Minister Duy requested that the provincial level focus on studying legal regulations and preparing information infrastructure to ensure smooth and seamless implementation.

Regarding certain competencies and tasks that previously required the consultation of central agencies before making decisions or approvals, the Minister emphasized that local agencies and individuals with devolved powers must ensure that the spirit of “localities decide, localities act, and localities take responsibility” is upheld.

Minister Duy also mentioned that Government Decree No. 131, which delineates the authorities of the two-level local government in the field of state management by the M.A.E, and Decree No. 151, which delineates the authorities of the two-level local government and decentralizes and devolves powers in the field of land, clearly define the tasks between the provincial and communal levels in the absence of district-level organizations. A total of 192 competencies and tasks have been delineated from the district to the new communal level and partly to the provincial level.

The M.A.E leader also clarified that for submitting registration and land-use certificate issuance requests, applicants can choose from several locations within the provincial level to submit their applications. Notably, agencies handling land-related administrative procedures are not allowed to require land users to rectify their land-related documents after the arrangement of the two-level local government. Instead, this should be done simultaneously when land users carry out administrative procedures or based on their needs.

According to Minister Duy, the communal-level administrative units after the rearrangement will continue to use the district-level land use planning, annual land use plans, or planning in accordance with the law on urban and rural planning that had been approved by competent state agencies before July 1, 2025, in their respective areas.