Commune planning - a cross-cutting requirement for sustainable development

After the merger, many communes and wards are facing the need for comprehensive development but lack of overall planning. Planning is not only about land and infrastructure arrangement, it is also a vision and guideline for development strategy planning. Therefore, planning and approval become an urgent task, paving the way for localities to affirm their position, seize opportunities, and keep pace with the general development of the province and the whole country.

Businesses and localities look forward to planning

After 13 years of operation, Nhat Quang Phat Company Limited has a need to move its paper factory out of the residential area to expand production. A new location in Viet Yen village, Viet Xuyen commune has been calculated, but the plan is still "frozen" because the commune does not have a master plan. Company director Nguyen Manh Tuong shared: "We have found a suitable location, but the commune does not have a plan, and a new plan has arisen, so the government cannot approve it. The business has to wait longer."

Not only Viet Xuyen, all new communes and wards in Ha Tinh, including Thach Khe, do not have a master plan, causing difficulties in management, investment and development.

Document of People's Committee of Thach Khe commune requesting approval for master plan.

After merging from 3 communes (Dinh Ban, Thach Khe and Thach Hai), the People's Committee of Thach Khe commune proposed to establish a general planning scale of 1/5000. With an area of 46 km² and a population of more than 17,500 people, Thach Khe has potential for sea tourism, agriculture, industry and services. However, due to the Thach Khe iron mining project in the area, most of the socio -economic development plan of the commune still has to... wait for planning. Vice Chairman of the People's Committee Nguyen Anh Tuan affirmed: "Only when there is a plan, will we have a basis to plan, attract investment and effectively promote potential".

Ky Thuong Commune (merged from Ky Son and the old Ky Thuong) has an area of 218 km², with a population of nearly 16,000 people. The first Party Congress of the commune clearly defined the goals: building a strong political system, promoting digital transformation, developing a green economy based on forest advantages, completing infrastructure, and striving to achieve advanced new rural standards. To realize this, the commune proactively established a new master plan instead of mechanically integrating two old plans. Party Secretary Hoang Trong Ly emphasized: "Having a plan will avoid spontaneous and overlapping development. Without a plan, the orientation is short-term, fragmented, and unsustainable."

In Vung Ang ward, where there is a national key economic zone, the requirements for planning are even higher. Ward Party Secretary Tran Xuan Phuong said that waiting for a new planning is a necessary choice to ensure long-term, harmonious development.

Planning – a management tool and commitment to the future

Master plan of legal framework for sustainable development.

Practice shows that: localities with systematic planning have synchronous infrastructure, easily attract investment, and improve people's lives. On the contrary, lack of planning will lead to confusion in management, ineffective investment, and even missed development opportunities.

The new commune master plan not only arranges land and infrastructure, but is also a State management tool and the foundation for implementing resolutions after the grassroots party congress.

Chairman of Dong Kinh Commune People's Committee Tran Huu Nghia commented: "A feasible planning will be the basis for guiding detailed planning for each sector and field; thereby exploiting potential and promoting sustainable development. The commune needs to choose a reputable consulting unit with sufficient capacity. The planning implementation process also needs to consult experts and at the same time get feedback from the people."

Sharing the same view, Mr. Hoang Le Trang - Head of Planning and Architecture Department, Ha Tinh Department of Construction said: "Commune-level master plans must closely follow local characteristics and advantages and be consistent with the Ha Tinh Master Plan for Development to 2030, vision 2050. "To do so, commune-level authorities need to closely coordinate with departments and branches, link planning with reality and have the support of businesses and people - the subjects that benefit from development results."

Priority tasks in the new phase

Faced with practical difficulties and requirements, the People's Committee of Ha Tinh province has directed the Department of Construction and related sectors to promptly guide and coordinate with communes and wards to implement the master plan. This is considered an important step to remove obstacles for new administrative units, after the two-level local government apparatus has come into stable operation.

Currently, localities are hiring consulting units to develop plans. Choosing a reputable unit and seeking expert and public opinions are considered decisive steps to ensure feasibility and consistency.

It can be seen that the master plan is the “key” to open the development path for localities after the merger. From there, localities can shape a long-term vision, exploit their potential to the fullest, and build trust for people and businesses.

When completed, the master plans will be the foundation for resource allocation, investment attraction, synchronous infrastructure development, land management, and effective construction. More importantly, the master plan will help new communes and wards affirm their position, seize opportunities, and develop in harmony with Ha Tinh province and the whole country.

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/quy-hoach-xa-yeu-cau-xuyen-suot-cho-su-phat-trien-ben-vung-post295997.html