Openness and transparency in public land auctions.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau province recently successfully auctioned off a series of public land plots at both the provincial and district levels. The auctions were large-scale, open, and transparent, attracting many citizens and businesses to participate.

Land plots in Xuyen Moc district are publicly listed and information is posted before auction.

Open and transparent

After more than 8 hours of auctioning land use rights for 182 plots of land – totaling 15,388.7 m2 – at the central market of Xuyen Moc district (Xuyen Moc commune) on May 12th, 84 plots were successfully auctioned with winning bids ranging from 1.070 to 2.466 billion VND. This was the auction with the highest number of registered participants to date, with 77 eligible bidders.

The auction took place publicly in the meeting hall of the Xuyen Moc District People's Committee, under the close supervision of the landowner, the Xuyen Moc District People's Committee. The auctioned land plots ranged in size from 67.4 to 105.6 square meters, with starting prices from nearly 941 million VND per plot to over 2.1 billion VND per plot, and were auctioned through direct voting.

Ms. Le Thi Trang Dai, Chairwoman of the People's Committee of Xuyen Moc District, said: “We hired a reputable consulting firm to survey land prices according to market value before conducting the auction. In addition, at the central market of Xuyen Moc District – where the auctioned land plots are located – each area has an information board about the auction, along with a map of the land plot so that any citizen can access the information openly and clearly. Before the auction took place, from April 23-25, people were able to visit and see each land plot in person, including its location, documents, and parcel number…”

To ensure that public assets are auctioned transparently and fairly, preparation is crucial, guaranteeing that all aspects related to the auction process are carried out in accordance with the law and preventing losses to the state budget. Mr. Pham Tuan, Managing Director of Nhat An Phu Auction Company - Ho Chi Minh City Branch, stated that after receiving the asset owners' dossiers, the company coordinated with relevant departments and agencies to review and complete the legal documentation of the assets; and developed auction regulations ensuring compliance with the law. The auction results are widely announced through mass media channels and at the headquarters of the district and commune People's Committees…

Recently, on April 26th, a plot of land measuring nearly 60 hectares in Ward 10 and Ward 11, Vung Tau City, was successfully auctioned off for over 7,728 billion VND, a difference of 100 billion VND compared to the starting price. Immediately after winning the auction, the businesses involved began implementing projects on these land plots.

Mobilizing revenue for the budget.

At a recent meeting on land exploitation, Mr. Nguyen Van Tho, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, emphasized that auctioning land use rights is a method to help the State mobilize revenue for the budget, creating capital for localities to invest in infrastructure construction and socio-economic development. Public land areas managed by districts and cities are usually not large. To ensure that these land funds are utilized effectively and not encroached upon, and to guarantee the management of public land funds, most localities will use these land funds to implement public projects or conduct auctions.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Da, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, in 2025, the Provincial Land Fund Development Center will auction off eight land plots, including: a 29,297m2 plot of land - the old tourist market; a 1.4ha plot of land in Thang Tam ward; a plot of land on 3/2 Street in wards 10 and 11; a 2.7ha plot of land (cluster 5) in ward 1 (Vung Tau City); two plots of land in Long Hai town (Long Dat district); a 0.56ha plot of land in Ngai Giao town (Chau Duc district); and an 85.55ha plot of land in Phuoc Trung ward, Ba Ria City.

The People's Committees of the districts and cities have the authority to organize auctions for 11 plots of land with a total area of ​​2.12 hectares, the purpose of which is residential land. Specifically, Phu My City will auction one plot of land with an area of ​​132.4 m2; Long Dat District plans to auction one plot of land with an area of ​​177.5 m2; Con Dao District will auction three plots of land carried over from 2004 with an area of ​​528.3 m2; Xuyen Moc District will auction three plots of land with an area of ​​1.9 hectares; and Vung Tau City plans to auction three plots of land with an area of ​​246.1 m2.

To expedite the auction of land plots according to the set plan, the Provincial People's Committee has assigned the People's Committees of districts and cities to review and determine a specific implementation roadmap and urgently carry out the auctions. For land plots included in the 2025 auction plan, focus on completing the 1/500 detailed planning projects, completing the auction procedures, and organizing the land auctions in accordance with the set schedule.

The relevant units also need to focus on completing procedures and legal frameworks to ensure that land valuation and the determination of starting auction prices do not affect the timeline of the planned auction. They should also focus on strengthening the organizational structure of the Provincial Land Fund Development Center in accordance with legal regulations.

Text and photos: QUANG VU

Source: https://baobariavungtau.com.vn/kinh-te/202505/cong-khai-minh-bach-trong-dau-gia-dat-cong-1042400/