Focus on completing key tasks in 2023

PV: Could you tell us about the outstanding achievements in resource management, environmental protection, and climate change response in An Giang province in the recent past?

Mr. Vo Hung Dung:

From the beginning of 2023 to the present, thanks to the timely guidance and attention of the An Giang Provincial Party Committee and People's Committee, along with the coordination of local Party committees, authorities, and relevant departments and agencies, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of An Giang province has implemented and exceeded many assigned targets and tasks. Specifically, in 2023, the An Giang Provincial People's Committee assigned the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to implement 7 targets and tasks to serve the socio -economic development of An Giang province; to date, 6 out of 7 targets and tasks have been achieved and exceeded the set plan. Regarding the 106 tasks under its management, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of An Giang province has assigned them to its departments and units, and most of these tasks have been implemented according to schedule.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment also promptly advised the People's Council and the People's Committee of An Giang province to approve the addition of projects requiring land acquisition and projects using rice cultivation land in 2023; the district-level land use plan for 2023; authorized the district-level People's Committees to decide on specific land prices for compensation, support, and resettlement; decentralized the function of issuing land use right certificates to the Land Registration Office and its branches; and organized public consultations on the draft revised Land Law. At the same time, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment put into use the project to strengthen the land database (VILG Project), contributing to improving the effectiveness and efficiency of land management and exploitation, creating resources to promote the socio-economic development of An Giang province.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment also promptly implemented environmental impact assessment procedures for projects in accordance with the 2020 Environmental Protection Law; organized the appraisal of oil spill response plans at the district level and for petroleum businesses; maintained a household waste collection and treatment rate of over 77%; put into operation surface water and air environmental monitoring stations; and issued regulations on the management and operation of automatic, continuous environmental monitoring stations in the province.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment of An Giang province has also implemented many solutions to improve the efficiency of managing surface water, groundwater, and wastewater discharge, ensuring water quality to serve the socio-economic development of the locality; at the same time, regularly monitoring and warning of riverbank erosion; and implementing tasks and solutions to proactively adapt to climate change according to Resolution No. 120/NQ-CP dated November 17, 2017 of the Government in the province.

The An Giang Department of Natural Resources and Environment is currently focusing on effectively managing land resources, creating resources to promote the socio-economic development of An Giang province.

PV: Besides the achievements, could you share some of the difficulties and obstacles encountered in the process of implementing resource and environmental management in the province over the past period?

Mr. Vo Hung Dung:

Overall, the targets and tasks assigned by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the People's Committee of An Giang province have been implemented by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment with very positive results. However, alongside the achievements, the state management of natural resources and environment in the province still faces some difficulties and obstacles related to the increasing number of administrative procedures for land at the district level; the new VBDLIS software has only recently been put into operation, causing confusion among officials and leading to delayed processing of documents; the surveying, mapping, and registration of land use right certificates for agricultural land are still slow; the implementation of projects to close and treat pollution at domestic landfills still faces many difficulties in terms of funding and implementation methods; and the process of preparing projects to attract investment in solid waste treatment plants still has many limitations in the selection of treatment technology.

Currently, riverbank erosion is increasing in speed and number, affecting many provincial projects and the lives of local people; the scarcity of construction sand and the rising price of sand have impacted the socio-economic situation of the locality; the preparation of sand resources for key projects, public investment projects of the province, and expressway projects in the Mekong Delta region, as directed by the Prime Minister, still faces many challenges due to the temporary suspension of operations at many mining sites.

The An Giang Department of Natural Resources and Environment is currently tightening the management and exploitation of mineral resources in accordance with the directives of central ministries and agencies and the An Giang Provincial People's Committee.

PV: Recently, several unforeseen incidents have occurred that have somewhat affected the activities of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment. So, in order to successfully complete the key tasks for 2023, what solutions will the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of An Giang province focus on implementing, sir?

Mr. Vo Hung Dung:

The problems that occurred recently have more or less affected the morale of officials and employees, as well as the implementation of tasks according to the program and plan set out by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment at the beginning of 2023. However, thanks to the timely attention and guidance of the An Giang Provincial Party Committee and People's Committee, especially the Provincial Party Secretary, the position of Director of the An Giang Provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment was promptly reorganized to stabilize the morale and operations of the Department. Immediately after assuming the position, the Director of the An Giang Provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment immediately began to stabilize the morale of officials and employees in the sector and reorganized several positions at the departmental and unit levels, helping the departments and units under the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to stabilize and resume normal operations. To date, the activities of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment have basically stabilized and are focusing on implementing tasks according to the program, plan, and directives of the Provincial Party Committee and People's Committee.

Regarding future tasks and solutions, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of An Giang province will continue to focus on advising and promptly drafting and promulgating specialized legal documents within its authority, as well as proposing solutions to remove bottlenecks related to land, land prices, and the environment... to support businesses in implementing investment projects in the province; strengthening the application of information technology in resolving administrative procedures, reducing the rate of delayed applications for citizens and businesses; at the same time, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment will also focus on addressing existing issues related to the sector according to the conclusions of the Government Inspectorate; reviewing, reporting, and proposing a rebalancing of sand resources to serve key projects in An Giang province and the Mekong Delta region.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment of An Giang province will also continue to build and perfect the system of policies, laws, and plans on resource and environmental management; effectively implement plans in the field of natural resources and environment integrated into the An Giang provincial planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2030; effectively implement the amended Land Law, creating a foundation and mechanism to make land a resource for development; build a synchronous and unified database system for natural resources and environment; promote online payment for public services; and implement solutions to effectively fulfill Vietnam's commitments at the COP26 conference on climate change response in the province.

In addition, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of An Giang province will also focus on consolidating its organization and apparatus to ensure professional and efficient operation; implementing personnel transfers and rotations to prevent and combat corruption and negative practices; strengthening inspection and control of officials to promptly correct and handle any signs or acts of wrongdoing that affect the service to citizens and businesses, and the administrative reform of An Giang province.

To help An Giang province in general, and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment in particular, complete the tasks according to the 2023 program and plan, as well as long-term tasks, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of An Giang province hopes that in the future, the Government and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will continue to pay attention to adjusting the mechanisms, policies, and legal regulations on land in a way that is consistent with other laws, in order to address difficulties in attracting investment, shift the economic structure, and utilize land resources for development.

Simultaneously, issue a set of criteria for classifying projects and tasks related to climate change response and implementation of the Paris Agreement, reducing greenhouse gas emissions to apply a specific mechanism; establish attractive incentive mechanisms and policies to minimize risks and attract and persuade investors and social resources for climate change response and implementation of the Paris Agreement in the province; continue to provide funding for An Giang province to implement projects to thoroughly address serious environmental pollution at district-level landfills as well as build automatic continuous surface water and air monitoring stations...

PV: Thank you very much!

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