Issue a land management handbook, clearly decentralize authority to commune level

The purpose of issuing the handbook is to transfer specific procedures and authorities to the commune level and provide detailed instructions on how to implement it, helping the grassroots level effectively operate the two-level local government model, avoiding confusion, overlap or stagnation in land management.

On July 13, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment said that in order to promptly support localities in operating the 2-level local government model (from July 1, 2025), the ministry has issued a "Handbook on State management in the land sector".

This is the first time that the commune-level government has had an official document and is fully guided on the process, procedures and authority in land management, with the goal of shortening processing time and minimizing overlap in decentralization.

According to Ms. Doan Thi Thanh My, Deputy Director of the Department of Land Management (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), the most important new point of the handbook is that for the first time, the commune level is assigned to fully implement procedures such as: land recovery, granting land use right certificates, approving compensation plans, support, resettlement, etc.

All procedures are standardized, in which the land recovery process is designed into 16 clear steps, while the procedure for issuing the first red book consists of only 3 steps, with a maximum processing time of 20 days.

Deputy Director of the Department of Land Management Doan Thi Thanh My. Photo: TRUONG GIANG

The process of issuing the first red book has been simplified to just 3 simple steps: submitting the application, verifying at the local level and issuing the certificate. All are done at the commune level, helping people save travel time and reduce administrative pressure on the provincial level.

The land acquisition process begins with planning, organizing meetings with residents, inventorying assets, and handing over the site. Each step has a specific form and deadline, ensuring transparency and not causing passivity to those whose land is acquired.

The handbook also systematizes all the authorities of the People's Council, People's Committee and Chairman of the People's Committee at the provincial and communal levels, ensuring that no tasks are missed in the context of the new apparatus being transformed.

Such specific guidance is considered to help local authorities operate smoothly and avoid congestion when taking on many new tasks under the two-level local government model.

Land management handbook for commune level

The leader of the Department of Land Management affirmed that transferring authority to the grassroots level goes hand in hand with standardizing processes to ensure that the rights of people and businesses are not interrupted, while increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of the new government apparatus.

Ms. Doan Thi Thanh My also emphasized that the two-level local government model can only be put into practice if land policies are reorganized in a clear, easy-to-understand and easy-to-implement manner right from the commune level.

According to the plan, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment will continue to work with localities to review procedures, standardize land data and organize training for grassroots officials, ensuring unified operations nationwide.

ANGEL

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/ban-hanh-so-tay-quan-ly-dat-dai-phan-quyen-ro-cho-cap-xa-post803625.html