Roadmap for Local Administrative Reorganization

Commune-level governments are expected to start official operations on July 1, while reorganized and restructured province-level governments will be fully operational by August 30.

This update was shared by Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra during the March working conference, which also reviewed recent progress and outlined key tasks for April and the second quarter of 2025 for the Ministry of Home Affairs.

At the conference, Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra said that immediately after advising the Government on the implementation and completion of the merger of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government bodies, and specialized agencies under the People's Committees at both provincial and district levels, the Ministry of Home Affairs promptly finalized the necessary legal documents to ensure that all newly merged ministries could officially begin operations from March 1.

National conference to implement the merger of provincial and commune-level administrative units

The recent merger has laid an important foundation and created strong momentum for the country to move forward with a more advanced reform: the restructuring of administrative units at the provincial, district, and commune levels, along with the reorganization of local governments into a two-level model. 

The Ministry of Home Affairs has provided counsel to the relevant authorities on the reorganization of provincial and commune-level administrative units and the implementation of the two-tier local government model. 

On this matter, Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra said that the Politburo has provided guidance on three occasions. Notably, Conclusion 130-KL/TW clearly outlines the policy for restructuring provincial administrative units. Furthermore, Conclusion 137-KL/TW offers a detailed policy direction for reorganizing provincial-level and commune-level governments and establishing the two-level local government structure. These conclusions serve as the political foundation for the Ministry of Home Affairs to finalize the project and present it to the Party Central Committee at the 11th Conference.

“This is a great revolution for the country to enter a new era - an era of strong and prosperous national development,” Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra emphasized.

Minister Tra urged all relevant units to remain highly focused on reorganizing provincial and commune-level administrative units, establishing two-level local governments, and ensuring the proposals are submitted to the National Assembly Standing Committee and the National Assembly by June 30.

Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra pointed out that starting May 1, the workload will significantly increase, as all 63 provinces and cities will be submitting their rearrangement projects to the Ministry of Home Affairs for simultaneous presentation to the National Assembly Standing Committee and the National Assembly. Additionally, the Ministry of Home Affairs will need to coordinate with and provide guidance to ministries and branches in adjusting legal documents to ensure the smooth operation of two-level local governments, particularly after the removal of district-level administrative units from the government structure.

According to the roadmap, the Government will present its project to the Central Executive Committee at the 11th Conference for approval. Following this, the Politburo will hold a national conference on April 16 to implement the reorganization of provincial and commune-level administrative units and the establishment of two-level local governments. The conference will also address various tasks related to the restructuring of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, socio-political organizations, as well as the courts and procuracies.

"July 1 marks the milestone for commune-level governments to begin operations, while reorganized and restructured province-level governments will be fully operational by August 30," Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra shared.

In light of this, the Minister of Home Affairs called on the heads of relevant units to work closely together to complete the advisory work for the ministry, particularly in the arrangement and operation of two-level local governments, following the abolition of district-level administrative units.

Preparing for the 9th session of the ninth National Assembly

To prepare for the content of the 9th session of the 15th National Assembly, Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra requested the formation of a working group to discuss and assign tasks, while ensuring prompt responses to voters' recommendations.

The units were instructed to quickly review the list of decrees that need to be amended, supplemented, or newly developed to support the operation of two-level local governments, and to implement the decentralization and delegation of power to localities.

The application of information technology should be strengthened, with artificial intelligence (AI) used alongside manual measures to review legal documents that require amendments and supplements related to decentralization and the delegation of power to localities. It is important to ensure that these documents are submitted promptly and, once approved, are quickly promulgated, following the approval of the amended Constitution and the revised Law on the Organization of Local Government.

The Ministry of Home Affairs will prioritize urging ministries and ministerial-level agencies to implement Decision No. 608/QD-TTg issued by the Prime Minister on decentralization and delegation of power. Additionally, the Ministry will report on the progress and outcomes of implementing Conclusion No. 121-KL/TW from the Central Executive Committee and Resolution No. 176/2025/QH15 from the National Assembly, following the implementation of the resolution regarding the arrangement of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government bodies, and specialized agencies under the People's Committees at the provincial and district levels.

In addition, Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra emphasized the need to focus on completing a large volume of policies, including those related to employment, wages, and other areas. She urged localities to implement policies for people with meritorious services without interruption.

It is also necessary to prioritize the progress of completing the national strategy for Vietnamese workers abroad, which is linked to the revision of decrees related to foreign workers in Vietnam and Vietnamese workers abroad in the new context. This revision must address various labor market issues, labor productivity, and the country's development goals.

Furthermore, Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra requested that units review policies concerning allowances, special allowances, and regional minimum wages. They should advise and propose amendments to specific decrees, particularly regarding the arrangement of provincial-level administrative units, the reorganization of commune-level administrative units, and other related matters.

By Duy Anh, Vietnam Business Forum