Continue to grant pink books to religious establishments

Ho Chi Minh City Department of Natural Resources and Environment organized the handover of pink books to religious establishments on the morning of October 25.

Mr. Nguyen Toan Thang, Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Ho Chi Minh City said: In recent times, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment has made many efforts, increased coordination with the People's Committees of districts, Thu Duc City and religious establishments to remove obstacles, speed up the process of granting Land Use Rights Certificates to religious establishments. Specifically, from 2005 to present, Ho Chi Minh City has reviewed, submitted for recognition and granted more than 802 pink books to religious organizations, with an area of more than 2,000,000m2.

“The issuance of pink books helps religious organizations exercise their rights in land use such as repairing and building new religious facilities... in accordance with the law. This is the legitimate right of religious facilities and also a very important task of the city's functional agencies,” said Mr. Nguyen Toan Thang.

However, according to Mr. Nguyen Toan Thang, despite many efforts, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment also recognized certain limitations in the work of granting pink books, including granting to religious organizations. In fact, the specificity of this work is the origin, legality of land, each land plot, each facility through stages and periods, which need to be carefully studied, coordinated smoothly between relevant agencies and units, to properly apply the provisions of the law.

According to the Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Ho Chi Minh City, Mr. Nguyen Toan Thang, in the coming time, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment will further strengthen the work of granting pink books to religious organizations. At the same time, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment also hopes that religious organizations, People's Committees of districts and Thu Duc City, the Religious Affairs Committee and related Departments will coordinate and support the Department of Natural Resources and Environment in providing legal documents, reviewing and giving opinions on related issues in a timely manner, so that the Department of Natural Resources and Environment can best perform this work.

Accordingly, religious organizations proactively declare and register land to be recognized and granted pink books according to the provisions of the Land Law. Along with that, the People's Committees of districts, towns, and Thu Duc City make a list of religious organizations and organizations that have not been granted pink books; guide religious organizations to declare and register land to be recognized and granted pink books; coordinate with the People's Committees of wards and communes to review the current status of land use, report on land origin, land use management, etc. in the area.

Mr. Nguyen Toan Thang, Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Ho Chi Minh City, presented the "pink book" to the representative of the religious facility Chon Duc Zen Monastery.

“The Department of Natural Resources and Environment will make every effort to consider and resolve as quickly as possible all applications that are eligible for granting pink books according to the provisions of law. At the same time, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment will also continue to maintain the issuance of pink books to religious organizations in the near future,” added Mr. Nguyen Toan Thang, Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Ho Chi Minh City.

Also at the handover ceremony, Venerable Thich Huyen Y, representative of the Chon Duc Zen Monastery (Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City) was delighted and expressed his thanks to the leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment and other relevant agencies for their attention and steps to issue pink books to religious establishments in general and Chon Duc Zen Monastery in particular. This is the timely attention and facilitation of the city government to help religious establishments operate effectively.

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