Merging provinces and cities: When "two plus two must be greater than four"

(Dan Tri) - One of the principles and priorities in the arrangement of provinces and cities, as noted by General Secretary To Lam, is not just the mechanical merger of "two plus two equals four", but must be "two plus two is greater than four".

On the morning of May 5, the National Assembly opened its 9th session with many important contents related to streamlining the organizational apparatus and rearranging administrative units at all levels.

Speaking with Dan Tri reporter , Associate Professor Dr. Vu Van Phuc (Vice Chairman of the Scientific Council of Central Party Agencies, former Editor-in-Chief of Communist Magazine) emphasized that the local government system in our country has been merged and separated many times, but this time is considered an unprecedented revolution.

First of all, because this policy is implemented at all three levels at the same time: provincial, district, and commune. This is also the first time in the history of our country that the district level is abolished and two-level local government is implemented (provincial and commune levels).

Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Van Phuc (Photo: Thanh Dong).

According to Mr. Phuc, this is the first time the whole country has merged and consolidated both provincial and communal levels at the same time. Moreover, the merger and consolidation of provincial and communal administrative units, and the abolition of district level, was carried out in a very short time, within the overall revolution of streamlining the organizational apparatus of the political system.

According to the Central's agreement, after the merger, the whole country will reduce from 63 to 34 provinces and cities with the number of employees reduced by 18,440. The number of commune-level administrative units will be reduced from 10,035 to more than 3,320 units (equivalent to 66.91%), the number of employees will be reduced by 110,780.

"After the revolution in streamlining the organizational apparatus, the political system in our country from the central to the communal level has reduced many focal points, becoming very streamlined; at the same time, screening and streamlining the team of cadres, civil servants and public employees", according to Mr. Phuc, this is a very important premise, an extremely necessary condition for the organizational apparatus and the team of cadres, to bring the country into a new era.

One of the principles and priorities in the arrangement of provinces and cities, as noted by General Secretary To Lam, is not just the mechanical merger of "two plus two equals four", but "two plus two is greater than four".

Mr. Phuc explained that this orientation does not mean simply reducing the number of provincial and communal administrative units. More importantly, after the merger, the newly formed provinces, cities or communes must have much greater strength than the combined strength of the units mechanically.

"After the merger, the new administrative units must have new development space, conditions for higher resource development, and better serve the people," Mr. Phuc emphasized.

According to him, each province, city or commune after the merger will have its own strengths and advantages that can complement each other, support each other, create a premise for each other to develop together, and create greater combined strength.

"Therefore, two plus two does not equal four, but is many times greater than four," Mr. Phuc emphasized.

Also according to the General Secretary's direction, the process of merging provinces and cities needs to ensure public land and property management in a public, transparent and professional manner. Special attention must be paid to areas with great development potential, in order to avoid loss, waste and group interests.

Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Van Phuc commented that this directive is very correct and timely, aiming to overcome the reality that when merging and consolidating, some localities waste and lose land and public assets due to the situation of "no one cries for public property".

The merged provinces and cities will have a larger new development space (Photo: Huu Nghi).

According to him, in reality, due to the merger, there are cases where officials and civil servants are irresponsible and lax in management. There are also cases where officials and civil servants are worried about their job positions, so they are negligent and irresponsible in their work...

Mr. Phuc hopes that after the merger and implementation of a two-level local government with fewer and more streamlined provincial and communal administrative units, we will have a more efficient, effective and effective apparatus, serving the people better and more practically, meeting the requirements of bringing the country into a new era - the era of national growth.

To achieve this goal, Mr. Phuc proposed many solutions, including screening, selecting, and arranging a team of provincial and communal-level officials, especially leaders, who are truly dedicated, have vision, and have real prestige in the Party and among the people; dare to think, dare to do, dare to take responsibility for the common interest and not be local, factional, or have group interests...

In addition, according to Mr. Phuc, we also need to have a satisfactory compensation policy to retain talented people, good workers and people affected by the restructuring and streamlining of the apparatus...

Dantri.com.vn

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/xa-hoi/sap-nhap-tinh-thanh-khi-hai-cong-hai-phai-lon-hon-bon-20250504221326898.htm