Focus on completing key tasks in 2023

PV: Can you tell us about the outstanding results in resource management, environmental protection, and climate change response in An Giang province in recent times?

Mr. Vo Hung Dung:

From the beginning of 2023 to now, with the timely attention and direction of the Provincial Party Committee, the People's Committee of An Giang province, and the coordination of local Party committees, authorities and relevant departments, branches and sectors, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of An Giang province has implemented and exceeded many assigned targets and tasks. Specifically, in 2023, the People's Committee of An Giang province assigned the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to implement 07 targets and tasks to serve the socio-economic development of An Giang province. Up to now, 06/07 targets and tasks have been achieved and exceeded the set plan. For 106 tasks under the management field, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of An Giang province has assigned to departments and units under the Department of Natural Resources and Environment. Up to now, most of the tasks have been implemented according to the set schedule.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment has also promptly advised the People's Council and the People's Committee of An Giang province to approve the addition of the list of projects requiring land recovery and projects using rice-growing land in 2023; the district-level land use plan in 2023; authorized the district-level People's Committee to decide on specific land prices to carry out compensation, support and resettlement; decentralized the function of granting land use right certificates to the Land Registration Office and its branches; organized public consultation on the draft revised Land Law. At the same time, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment has 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 socio-economic development of An Giang province.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment also promptly implemented procedures for environmental impact assessment of projects in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Environmental Protection 2020; organized appraisal of oil spill response plans of district level and petroleum business establishments; maintained the rate of collection and treatment of domestic waste at over 77%; put into operation surface water and air environmental monitoring stations; issued regulations on management and operation of automatic and 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 effectiveness of surface water and groundwater management, wastewater discharge, and ensure water quality to serve the local socio-economic development; at the same time, regularly monitor and warn of riverbank erosion; carry out 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.

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

PV: Besides the achieved results, can you share the difficulties and obstacles in the process of implementing natural resources and environmental management in the province in recent times?

Mr. Vo Hung Dung:

In general, 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, in addition to the achieved results, the state management of natural resources and environment in the province still has some difficulties and problems related to the large increase in the number of administrative procedures for land at the district level; the newly put into operation of VBDLIS software has caused many confusions for officials, resulting in late records; the works of measuring, mapping cadastral maps and registering for the issuance and reissuance of agricultural land use right certificates are still slow; the implementation of the project to close and treat pollution at domestic landfills still faces many difficulties in terms of capital sources and implementation methods; the work of establishing projects to call for investment in solid waste treatment plants still has many limitations in the process of selecting treatment technology.

Currently, riverbank erosion tends to increase in speed and quantity, affecting many projects in the province and people's lives; the problem of construction sand scarcity and sand prices tending to increase have affected and impacted the local socio-economic situation; the preparation of sand resources for key projects, public investment in the province and expressway projects in the Mekong Delta region under the direction of the Prime Minister still has many problems because the mines are temporarily suspended.

An Giang Department of Natural Resources and Environment is currently tightening the management and exploitation of minerals under the direction of Central Ministries, branches and An Giang Provincial People's Committee.

Reporter: Recently, there have been some unexpected incidents that have somewhat affected the activities of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment. So, in order to successfully complete the key tasks in 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 have occurred in recent times have more or less affected the mentality of cadres and civil servants as well as the implementation of tasks according to the program and plan that the Department of Natural Resources and Environment has set out since the beginning of 2023. However, with the timely attention and direction of the Provincial Party Committee, the People's Committee of An Giang province, especially the Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, the position of Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of An Giang province has been promptly reorganized to stabilize the ideology and operations of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment. Immediately after taking office, the Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of An Giang province immediately started to stabilize the ideology of cadres and civil servants of the industry and reorganized a number of related department and unit-level positions, helping the departments and units under the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to stabilize and return to normal operations. Up to now, 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 direction of the Provincial Party Committee and the People's Committee.

Regarding some tasks and solutions in the coming time, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of An Giang province will continue to focus on advising on the timely development and promulgation of specialized legal documents under its authority as well as proposing solutions to remove bottlenecks in land, land prices, environment, etc. to support businesses in implementing investment projects in the province; enhancing the application of information technology in handling administrative procedures, reducing the rate of late applications for people and businesses; at the same time, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment will also focus on overcoming existing problems related to the industry according to the Conclusion of the Government Inspectorate; reviewing, reporting and proposing to rebalance sand resources for 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 develop and perfect the system of policies, laws, and planning on natural resources and environmental management; effectively implement plans for the natural resources and environment sector integrated into the planning of An Giang province for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2030; effectively implement the revised Land Law, as a premise and mechanism to turn land into a development resource; build a synchronous and unified natural resources and environment database system; promote online payment of public services; deploy solutions to effectively implement 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 perfecting the organization and apparatus to ensure professional and effective operations; transfer and rotate cadres to prevent and combat corruption and negativity; strengthen the inspection and control of cadres to promptly rectify and handle if any signs or wrongdoings are detected that affect the service to people, businesses, and administrative procedure 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 and long-term tasks, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of An Giang province hopes that in the coming time, the Government and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will continue to pay attention to adjusting the policy mechanism and legal regulations on land in sync with other Laws to solve difficulties in attracting investment to shift the economic structure and promote resources from land for development.

At the same time, issue a set of criteria for classifying projects, tasks of responding to climate change and implementing the Paris Agreement, reducing greenhouse gas emissions to apply specific mechanisms; have incentive and incentive mechanisms and policies that are attractive enough, minimize risks to attract and convince investors and social resources for responding to climate change and implementing the Paris Agreement in the province; continue to provide financial support for An Giang province to implement the project to thoroughly treat 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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