Merging communes in Son Duong: When officials are close to and understand the people

Check the right "knot"

Pursuant to Resolution No. 1106/NQ-UBTVQH15 of the National Assembly Standing Committee on the arrangement of commune-level administrative units in the 2023-2025 period of Tuyen Quang province, Son Duong district merged Hong Lac commune and Van Son commune into Hong Son commune from September 1, 2024.

These are two adjacent communes, adjacent to each other, convenient for merging, including Hong Lac commune with 9 villages, 6,038 people, Van Son commune with 5 villages, 3,538 people. After merging, Hong Son commune has a natural area of ​​19.35 km2 and a population of 9,576 people.

Officials and party members of Hong Lac commune (Son Duong) discussed the use of public assets after merging into Hong Son commune.

Recalling the first days when the information about the commune merger was announced, many people felt worried. Mr. Ha Huu Luong, Cay Cham village, Hong Lac commune shared: People were worried about the administrative procedures becoming more complicated. Many people also wondered how to preserve the traditional cultural features of their village after the merger.

Looking back at the initial period of the merger, Secretary of the Party Committee of Hong Lac Commune Le Minh Son frankly admitted that at first, some people did not fully understand the benefits as well as the policies of the district, the province and the Central Government, so they did not agree. Therefore, when surveying voters' opinions on the merger of the two communes, only about 97% of the people immediately agreed. This is a number that the local government still has to think about because in the process of organizing the collection of voters' opinions, there were still certain difficulties.

“Because the voter consultation team in the village has not been properly trained, the team has not yet fully disseminated the regulations of the Central and the province on why the merger is necessary and the benefits after the merger. Therefore, for those people who are in the middle, when they see that the officials have not specifically communicated, they will not agree,” Mr. Son explained.

Like Hong Lac, the process of collecting opinions on the merger in Van Son commune also encountered many difficulties, especially when the entire administrative boundary of Van Son commune was merged into Hong Lac commune and renamed Hong Son. Comrade Tieu Manh Tuong, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Van Son Commune Party Committee, confided: During the process of collecting voters' opinions, there were dozens of additional opinions such as: Requesting the State to support the settlement of personal administrative procedures when changing the name of the administrative unit (3 voters); requesting that after the merger of the commune, competent authorities pay attention to implementing policies for ethnic minorities (3 voters); requesting to name the new commune after the merger as Hong Van (7 voters).

There are still concerns: After the merger, will the government pay attention to creating conditions for disadvantaged villages to have concrete roads and conditions for even economic development like Hong Lac commune? Some people in An My, Doc Vau, and Tan Son villages are worried that after the merger, will the policies for especially disadvantaged villages and ethnic minorities still be maintained? The implementation of public services at the new commune People's Committee headquarters will have to go further...

“In response to the concerns of the people, the Van Son commune government has requested the Voter Opinion Gathering Team in 5 villages to step up propaganda work in a suitable and easy-to-understand form so that people can grasp the information. At the same time, it is necessary to accurately examine the “bottlenecks” in the hearts of the people to promptly resolve difficulties and problems, creating consensus in society, all levels, sectors, cadres and people on the merger of administrative units” - Mr. Tieu Manh Tuong shared.

Unanimously merge communes

With the dedication of the commune officials, the worries about the commune merger gradually disappeared. Mr. Hoang Van Hoc, Doc Vau village, Van Son commune confided: “Commune and village officials often come to our house, sit and talk with the people, and explain very clearly the benefits of the merger. Thanks to that, we understand better and trust the government’s decision.”

To make the merger process go smoothly, commune and village officials did not hesitate to face difficulties, regularly went to the grassroots, and listened to the people's thoughts and aspirations. Secretary of the Party Committee of Hong Lac Commune, Le Minh Son, said that the Party Committee had met, agreed, and assigned tasks to each cadre in the Executive Committee. Village officials regularly attended meetings to implement, propagate, and mobilize the people. Where the people did not agree, the commune's working group went to the place, to the household, and met each person to explain, propagate, and mobilize the people to gain consensus and high support.

Being informed and popularized that the merger of commune-level administrative units is a correct policy, consistent with the leadership role and management of the State for all economic and social activities in the locality, the majority of people who were still hesitant have unanimously responded to the implementation. Hong Lac commune and Van Son commune have jointly collected voters' opinions in 14 villages, 100% of voters agreed with the merger policy.

Mr. Ha Huu Luong, Cay Cham village, Hong Lac commune, excitedly said: up to now, although people still have opinions about handling paperwork after the merger, basically, people in the village all agree with the policy of merging the commune.

Comrade Hoang Van Hoc, Secretary of the Party Cell of Doc Vau village, Van Son commune, affirmed that although the entire administrative boundary of Van Son commune was merged into Hong Lac commune, the local people basically agreed. This was achieved because the Party Committee and the government had stepped up propaganda so that people could clearly understand the policy and the meaning of the administrative unit arrangement, thereby "removing" any remaining concerns.

“In Doc Vau village, we have more than 120 households, but only 4-5 households expressed their opinion that it was too far to go to the hospital and do administrative procedures, but after persuasion, all the people agreed. We and the commune officials explained that the roads have been and are being invested in by the State, the inter-commune roads are convenient, and traveling will be easy,” said Mr. Hoc.

The process of merging communes in Son Duong was successful thanks to the efforts of all levels, sectors and the solidarity of the people. The merger of Hong Son commune is a testament to the importance of being close to the people and understanding the people in state management. When officials and people join hands and unite, all difficulties can be overcome.

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/sap-nhap-xa-o-son-duong%C2%A0khi-can-bo-gan-dan-hieu-dan-196194.html