Preparing to merge Quang Ngai and Kon Tum

Pham Van Dong Square in Quang Ngai City on April 11. Photo: PHAM LINH

On April 12th, the Quang Ngai Provincial Party Committee announced that it had been assigned by the Central Committee to preside over the reorganization of provincial-level administrative units with Kon Tum . The Standing Committees of the Provincial Party Committees of the two provinces will hold a meeting on the morning of April 15th at the Kon Plong District Party Committee headquarters in Mang Den town (Kon Plong district, Kon Tum province) to implement this matter.

The Steering Committee for summarizing Resolution 18 and implementing Conclusion No. 137 of the Politburo on the Project for rearranging and reorganizing administrative units at all levels and building a two-tiered local government organizational model has prepared the content and documents for the meeting, after reviewing the area, population, staff, policies, and infrastructure.

It is expected that Quang Ngai will allocate public assets to serve as office space and official housing for officials from Kon Tum when the new province is established.

Quang Ngai province covers an area of ​​over 5,000 square kilometers, with 13 districts and 170 communes, and a population of 1.5 million people. The province ranks among the top in terms of budget revenue in Central Vietnam, with the Dung Quat oil refinery as its core, and industrial zones attracting foreign investment. It also boasts advantages in coastal and island tourism, especially the Ly Son island district. Quang Ngai also has numerous seaports with 31 piers, and plans to increase this to 41.

Kon Tum province covers an area of ​​nearly 10,000 km2, comprising 9 districts and 102 communes, with a population of approximately 700,000 people. The province has advantages in forests and agriculture. The Mang Den tourist area is considered a version of Da Lat, with its cool climate, pine forests, and cherry blossom forests associated with unique culture. Kon Tum also has the Bo Y border gate bordering Laos.

The two provinces are currently connected by National Highway 24 via the Vi O Lac pass. Recently, Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh assigned Project Management Board 85 to prepare for the investment in the Quang Ngai - Kon Tum expressway project, which is 136 km long and has a total investment of over 35,000 billion VND, in the period 2025 - 2028.

Upon completion, the Quang Ngai - Kon Tum expressway will shorten travel time between the two provinces, while creating a quick and seamless connection between the eastern and western sections of the North-South expressway.

At the 11th Central Committee meeting of the 13th Party Congress, which concluded on April 12th, the Central Committee agreed to reduce the number of provincial-level administrative units nationwide from 63 to 34, including 28 provinces and 6 centrally-administered cities. Several merger options are being studied, such as Da Nang and Quang Nam; Bac Giang and Bac Ninh; Hai Phong and Hai Duong; Lao Cai and Yen Bai...

VN (according to VnExpress)

Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/chuan-bi-sap-nhap-quang-ngai-va-kon-tum-409275.html