Arrange administrative units: Issue documents synchronously and implement promptly.

Dong Thap province after rearrangement reduced 96 communes and wards, reaching a rate of 68.09%. (Photo: Hong Dat/VNA)

Last week, many documents of the Party and State were simultaneously issued on the arrangement of administrative units in 2025. At the local level, provinces and cities have actively implemented the tasks.

Issue documents in a synchronized manner

Notably last week, General Secretary To Lam, on behalf of the Politburo, signed and issued Directive No. 45-CT/TW of the Politburo on party congresses at all levels towards the 14th National Party Congress.

This Directive replaces Directive No. 35-CT/TW, dated June 14, 2024 of the Politburo on Party congresses at all levels towards the 16th National Congress of the Party; Conclusion No. 118-KL/TW, dated January 18, 2025 of the Politburo on adjusting and supplementing a number of contents of Directive No. 35-CT/TW, dated June 14, 2024 of the Politburo.

The Directive clearly states that Party Congresses at all levels carry out four contents; in which, Party Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities merge and consolidate; Party committees of communes, wards, and special zones directly under the provincial level (including communes that are not merged, communes subject to merger or consolidation that have held congresses), party committees (party cells) that are merged, consolidated, or newly established according to the policies, resolutions, and conclusions of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Secretariat of the 13th tenure on the arrangement and streamlining of the apparatus of agencies and units in the political system, the congress will have 2 contents (summarizing the implementation of the congress resolution for the 2020-2025 term based on the content of the congress resolutions of the party committees and party cells before the merger or consolidation; determining the directions, goals, tasks, and solutions for the 2025-2030 term and discussing and contributing opinions to the draft documents of the 14th Party Congress, the draft documents of the congress at the direct higher level), not electing a new term Party committee and a delegation to attend the congress at the higher level.

The Standing Committee of the immediate superior Party Committee shall directly appoint the executive committee, standing committee, secretary, deputy secretary, inspection committee, chairman, and deputy chairman of the inspection committee of the new Party Committee term and allocate the number and appoint delegates to attend the congress of the superior Party Committee.

For commune-level party committees that are not merged or consolidated, if they have held congresses for the 2025-2030 term, organize executive committee meetings to discuss draft documents of the congresses of the directly superior party committees according to regulations.

Based on the criteria, conditions, structure, and quantity according to the Politburo's Directive, the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and the City Party Committee continue to direct the review and completion of Party Committee personnel for the 2025-2030 term and the personnel of delegates to attend the Party Congress at higher levels, ensuring compliance with regulations...

Also on April 14, on behalf of the Politburo, Politburo member and Standing member of the Secretariat Tran Cam Tu signed and issued Conclusion 150-KL/TW guiding the development of personnel plans for provincial-level Party committees subject to consolidation, merger, and newly established commune-level Party committees.

Residents of residential group No. 36, Mai Dong ward, Hoang Mai district, Hanoi, have high consensus in implementing major policies of the Party and State. (Photo: Pham Kien/VNA)

On April 14, the Central Steering Committee for the summary of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW issued Plan No. 47 on the implementation of the arrangement and merger of provincial and communal administrative units and the organization of a two-level local government system. Attached to this Plan is an appendix with the contents and tasks of implementing the arrangement and merger of provincial and communal administrative units and the construction of a two-level local government system. The appendix clearly states that at each point in time in 2025 and 2026, relevant agencies, provinces and cities must complete specific tasks.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh signed Decision No. 759/QD-TTg (dated April 14, 2025) approving the Project on rearranging and reorganizing administrative units at all levels and building a two-level local government organization model.

According to the Project on rearranging and reorganizing administrative units at all levels and building a 2-level local government organization model, it is necessary to ensure 5 principles for determining names when reorganizing administrative units at all levels; Principles for determining administrative-political centers; Criteria for rearranging and merging provincial-level administrative units. The Project clearly states specific rearrangement plans for 52 provincial-level administrative units.

At the 44th Session on April 14, the National Assembly Standing Committee passed Resolution No. 76/2025/UBTVQH15 on administrative unit arrangement in 2025. The Resolution takes effect from April 15, 2025.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man delivers the opening speech at the National Assembly Standing Committee meeting. (Photo: Doan Tan/VNA)

On April 15, 2025, Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra, Deputy Head of the Standing Committee of the Steering Committee for the arrangement of administrative units at all levels and the development of a model for organizing two-level local governments, signed Official Dispatch No. 03/CV-BCĐ to the Provincial Party Committee and the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities on the orientation of a number of tasks for the arrangement of administrative units and the organization of two-level local governments; on the organization of the apparatus, cadres, civil servants and public employees when implementing the arrangement.

Voters and people trust in important decisions. The 9th session of the 15th National Assembly is expected to open on May 5, 2025 with a total working time of 35.5 days.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man said that at the 9th Session, the 15th National Assembly prioritized submitting to the National Assembly for consideration and decision urgent contents serving the work of reorganizing the apparatus and government organization.

During the past week, many National Assembly delegations met with voters before the 9th Session. Voters in localities expressed their excitement and agreement with the drastic, urgent actions and high sense of responsibility of the Central Committee, which has issued many revolutionary and breakthrough decisions, creating a foundation for national development; and absolute confidence in the Party's leadership and the success of the revolution to streamline the apparatus, reorganize administrative units and organize two-level local governments.

In Hung Phu Ward, Cai Rang District, Can Tho, voters expressed their agreement with the review and reorganization of medical facilities such as medical centers, hospitals, and clinics. However, voters said it was necessary to ensure that people would not be interrupted in accessing medical examination and treatment services, especially in areas with difficult conditions such as remote and isolated areas.

In Dak Nong, voters and people requested that all levels and sectors pay attention, create all favorable conditions, and simplify administrative procedures in the reissuance and renewal of documents and books after the merger of commune-level and provincial-level administrative units.

Voters in Ben Tre believe that when reorganizing, there should be more support policies for non-professional staff so that this force can stabilize their lives, ensure social security and have conditions to reintegrate into the labor market...

General Secretary To Lam speaks to voters. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

Responding to voters' and people's opinions on the arrangement of administrative units and the organization of two-level local governments, on the morning of April 17 in Hanoi, General Secretary To Lam said that all related work is being carried out very urgently, without delay, and progress is being checked and controlled every day.

The General Secretary noted that both trends should be addressed: merging communes and wards that are too large to cover the area and not proactively serve the people. Merging communes and wards that are too small leads to limited space, development space, and more focal points, leading to cumbersomeness and inefficiency.

Taking note of voters' opinions in Hau Giang, on the afternoon of April 18, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man stated that the upcoming 9th Session has the largest workload ever in the history of National Assembly sessions, of which the most important is to consider and decide on amending and supplementing a number of articles of the 2013 Constitution to serve the arrangement and streamlining of the apparatus; especially attaching importance to collecting public opinions on amending the Constitution.

If the National Assembly's Resolution amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Constitution is passed, after June 30, 2025, the operation of district-level administrative units will end.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man meets voters before the 9th session of the 15th National Assembly. (Photo: Doan Tan/VNA)

Regarding the handling of redundant headquarters after the rearrangement, the National Assembly Chairman reiterated the direction of General Secretary To Lam: the functions must be used effectively, not left to waste or be wasted; in which the top priority is schools; followed by taking care of people's health so that commune and ward health care is strong, doctors are good, medicine and equipment are adequate, and headquarters are reserved for cultural and community activities of the people.

According to Dao Chi Nghia, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Delegation of Can Tho City, the policy of merging and streamlining the payroll is a complicated process and during the implementation process, there will inevitably be many challenges and bottlenecks. This requires high consensus from the whole society and careful and synchronous preparation from all levels and sectors; promoting the spirit of setting an example and strictly following the Party's policies.

Establishment of Joint Working Groups

During the week, a number of localities met and agreed to establish joint working groups to carry out the tasks assigned by the Central Government regarding the merger.

The Standing Committees of Quang Ngai and Kon Tum provinces agreed to establish 6 joint working groups between the two provinces.

Quang Ngai ensures transportation and accommodation for officials, workers and civil servants from Kon Tum to Quang Ngai for work and vice versa; ensures schooling arrangements for children of officials, workers and civil servants when they follow their parents to Quang Ngai. Bac Ninh and Bac Giang have also established 5 working groups to serve the merger.

The arrangement and merger at the commune level will not be carried out according to a "tailor-made" plan for all communes and wards, but will prioritize the core areas of 8 districts and cities that will be larger in scale than the remaining communes and wards.

Hung Yen and Thai Binh held a meeting on implementing the Project to merge the two provinces and the Project to rearrange commune-level administrative units of Hung Yen and Thai Binh according to the instructions of competent authorities.

Specialized departments and agencies are required to review the current technology status between the two provinces and digitize relevant documents for effective shared use; not waiting until the merger is completed to implement...

On the afternoon of April 19, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh had a working session with the Standing Committees of the Provincial Party Committees of three provinces, including Binh Thuan, Lam Dong, and Dak Nong, on the implementation of the Resolution of the 11th Conference of the 13th Party Central Committee.

Welcoming the three provinces for their active and proactive implementation of tasks in the past time, the First Deputy Prime Minister said that the three localities have shared, united, agreed, and coordinated well to carry out tasks as directed. This sharing, solidarity, and agreement is the basis and premise for the successful implementation of the policy of merging the three provinces and organizing two-level local governments after the three provinces are merged.

At the National Conference to disseminate and implement the Resolution of the 11th Conference of the 13th Party Central Committee on April 16, General Secretary To Lam clearly stated that streamlining the apparatus of the political system, merging provinces, not organizing district levels, and merging communes is not simply a matter of adjusting the organizational apparatus and administrative boundaries, but also a matter of adjusting economic space, adjusting the division of labor, decentralization, and allocation of resources for development; it is an opportunity for us to screen, arrange, and build a team of cadres that truly meets the requirements of national development in the new period.

According to VNA/Vietnam+

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/sap-xep-don-vi-hanh-chinh-ban-hanh-dong-bo-van-ban-khan-truong-thuc-hien-post319683.html