Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Internal Affairs: Ho Chi Minh City will continue to streamline and reorganize commune and ward-level officials according to a planned schedule.

Solutions for achieving double-digit growth in Ho Chi Minh City, addressing development challenges, and streamlining the administrative apparatus were among the "hot" topics at the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee conference.

Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc presides over the discussion session of the departments - Photo: CHAU TUAN

On the afternoon of December 15th, the Executive Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee held its second meeting, continuing its work with a plenary session in the assembly hall, listening to solutions for the city's development.

Continue transferring officials at the commune and ward levels.

Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, Nguyen Van Duoc, chaired the discussion session, requesting department directors and delegates to clarify the feasibility and breakthrough solutions for Ho Chi Minh City to achieve a growth rate of 10-11% in 2026.

Mr. Được stated that Ho Chi Minh City faces many new opportunities and challenges, in the context of a volatile global economy, and in the aftermath of the merger of Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, and Ba Ria - Vung Tau .

The city wants to hear suggestions for implementing the resolutions of the City Party Congress, in order to achieve the goals of reducing traffic congestion, reducing flooding, reducing pollution, and creating a drug-free city.

One of the most heated discussions at the conference concerned the arrangement and placement of civil servants in communes, wards, and special zones. The discussion covered how to address the "both surplus and shortage" of specialized personnel at the commune and ward levels, and solutions for transferring officials from one place to another in practice.

According to Pham Thi Thanh Hien, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Internal Affairs, in the near future, communes, wards, and special zones will establish three specialized units: health stations, essential service centers, and project management boards.

Specifically, health stations and essential service centers will be established in all 168/168 communes, wards, and special zones. Project management boards at the commune/ward level will be established in areas where conditions are suitable and the economy is sufficient to implement the project.

Regarding solutions to address the "both surplus and shortage of officials" situation, Ms. Hien stated that after the merger, many officials at the commune and ward levels were allowed to retire and receive benefits under the streamlining policy.

To date, Ho Chi Minh City still has over 9,600 commune and ward-level officials and civil servants; compared to the regulations and guidelines of central agencies, this is still in excess by 103 officials and civil servants.

According to Ms. Hien, not only have the targets been exceeded, but there is also a reality of both surplus and shortage of officials at the commune and ward levels, requiring continued allocation of highly specialized professional staff to these areas.

According to Ms. Hien, Ho Chi Minh City will continue to streamline and reorganize commune-level officials according to a roadmap, implementing various solutions such as transferring officials within the People's Committees at the commune and ward levels according to job positions, transferring officials from the Party sector to the State sector, transferring officials from one commune or ward to another, training and developing officials, and recruiting new officials.

According to the Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Internal Affairs, the rearrangement and transfer of commune and ward officials will be carried out according to a roadmap, within 5 years. This will ensure that sufficient officials with specialized expertise are assigned to communes, wards, and special zones, while also maintaining a streamlined workforce as directed by higher authorities.

Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Internal Affairs, Pham Thi Thanh Hien - Photo: CHAU TUAN

Solutions for double-digit growth and pollution reduction…

Dr. Truong Minh Huy Vu, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Development Research Institute, analyzed growth scenarios for 2026, stating that if the city takes advantage of opportunities from the amended Resolution 98, which stipulates special mechanisms, attracts projects from strategic investors, and operates a financial center and a free trade center, it will create momentum for growth.

According to Dr. Vu, as stated by delegates in the group discussion, the focus should be on solutions that prioritize direction, ensuring each task is completed thoroughly, forming "special task forces" for land clearance and digital transformation. The city should co-create, share benefits and risks with investors, including strategic investors…

According to Tran Quang Lam, Director of the Department of Construction, Ho Chi Minh City currently has approximately 1 million cars and 11 million motorbikes. Following the merger of Ho Chi Minh City and Ba Ria - Vung Tau, traffic volume at the city's gateways has increased. Fundamental solutions to reduce traffic congestion include promoting public transportation, reducing private vehicle use, accelerating key infrastructure projects, and implementing urban replanning measures.

Mr. Lam stated that Ho Chi Minh City's public transport currently has favorable conditions in terms of specific mechanisms for railway development. From now until 2030, Ho Chi Minh City aims to have six more metro lines operational.

Mr. Nguyen Toan Thang, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Ho Chi Minh City, said that currently, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi are the two leading localities in implementing environmental pollution control programs, with air pollution being a priority.

Mr. Thang pointed out that the main cause stems from traffic and industrial production, with millions of vehicles traveling daily. Given this situation, the city has determined that it needs to accelerate the transition to green transportation, starting with converting fossil fuel-powered buses to electric vehicles.

The number of taxis is also being gradually shifted to electric vehicles. The environmental sector, in coordination with the transportation sector, is strengthening control and gradually reducing the number of gasoline and diesel vehicles in the urban core...

Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction Tran Quang Lam - Photo: CHAU TUAN

Ho Chi Minh City reviews its monitoring system.

According to Nguyen Toan Thang, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, Ho Chi Minh City currently has more than 23,000 industrial gas-emitting facilities that can cause air pollution. The goal by 2030 is to reduce air pollution levels to the lowest possible level and strictly control the main sources of pollution.

Regarding this issue, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc said that Ho Chi Minh City has requested the Department of Agriculture and Environment to review and reassess the entire air and water monitoring system throughout the city (including the former Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau provinces) to ensure that the data is complete and accurate.

Based on this, the city can issue timely recommendations, strengthen management, and move towards a synchronized and modern environmental management system.

BA SON - CHAU TUAN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/giam-doc-so-noi-vu-tp-hcm-tp-hcm-se-tiep-tiep-tinh-gon-sap-xep-can-bo-cap-xa-phuong-co-lo-trinh-20251215170634934.htm