Hanoi Chairman Tran Sy Thanh said Hoan Kiem district is the only district-level administrative unit of the city that must be merged in the 2023-2025 period.
Speaking at the national online conference on district-commune merger on the morning of July 31, Mr. Tran Sy Thanh said that 176 communes are also subject to merger from now until 2025. The city will organize propaganda to get support from all walks of life, then prepare the necessary conditions for implementation.
Hoan Kiem District is located in the center of Hanoi capital with 18 wards, an area of 5.29 km2, and a population of nearly 156,000. This is the smallest district in Hanoi, bordering Ba Dinh, Hai Ba Trung, Dong Da and the Red River. According to regulations of the National Assembly Standing Committee, the district must have a minimum area of 35 km2 and a population of 150,000. In the next two years, districts with an area of less than 20% and a population of less than 200% of the standard will have to be merged.
Comparing this regulation, Hoan Kiem district only meets 100% of the population standard but only 15% of the area standard, so it must be merged.
Hoan Kiem Lake in Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, 2020. Photo: Giang Huy
Hoan Kiem is the cultural, political and economic center of the capital, with 190 historical and cultural relics and famous sites. Typical examples are the Hoan Kiem Lake - Ngoc Son Temple - Ba Kieu Temple Complex, Quan Su Pagoda, Kim Ngan Communal House, Bao An Pagoda (Lien Tri Pagoda), Bao Thien Tower, King Le Temple, Quan Chuong Gate, Hanoi Opera House, Hoa Lo Prison, 19-8 Square, Cathedral, Vietnam History Museum, Vietnam Revolution Museum, Ly Thai To Monument, Hanoi Post Office, Dong Xuan Market.
The district is associated with the history of thousands of years of building and preserving Thang Long - Hanoi. In the past, this place belonged to Tho Xuong district, was the hub of communication with the four towns, gathering talents of hundreds of professions from all over, until now still leaving its mark such as Hang Bac, Hang Bo, Hang Dao, Hang Buom, Hang Ma, Hang Gai streets...
During the development process, the administrative boundaries of Hoan Kiem district were increasingly expanded. In 1886, the district developed to the south of Hoan Kiem lake in the style of a European neighborhood, with a chessboard system. During the period 1954-1961, the district included Hoan Kiem and Dong Xuan neighborhoods and part of Hang Co and Hai Ba streets.
According to the decision of the Government Council in 1961, Hoan Kiem quarter included the old Hoan Kiem and Dong Xuan quarters, and part of the old Hang Co and Hai Ba quarters. After 1975, the district developed strongly outside the Red River dike, forming collective housing areas of agencies. In early 1981, implementing the new Constitution, the Hanoi government was organized into three levels, in which Hoan Kiem quarter was called Hoan Kiem district, including 18 wards, which has remained stable until now.
In the period of 2019-2021, Hanoi city has arranged 12 commune-level administrative units, including 6 communes and 6 wards. Currently, the city has 30 district-level administrative units (including 17 districts, 12 urban districts, 1 town) and 579 commune-level administrative units (383 communes, 175 wards, 21 towns).
Merging districts and communes must carefully consider cultural and historical characteristics.
In his directive speech, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that the merger of districts and communes needs to have a roadmap for each stage with appropriate methods. Places with favorable conditions should do it first, and places without conditions should determine a suitable roadmap for implementation. The process of merging districts and communes must meet sustainable development requirements, effectively promote state and social resources, and create new development space with new thinking and values.
"It is necessary to merge districts and communes on a scientific basis, based on area and population standards, but carefully consider historical, cultural and customary characteristics," said the Prime Minister, noting that the merger must be associated with streamlining the apparatus, streamlining the payroll, structuring and improving the quality of cadres, civil servants and public employees, building a digital government and digital society. The merger must facilitate business operations, improve people's lives, and properly resolve civil and economic relations.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired a national online conference on district and commune reorganization on the morning of July 31. Photo: Nhat Bac
The Government leader said that after the conference, the Government will establish a Steering Committee to supervise the work, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang. The Ministries of Public Security, National Defense, and Planning and Investment were assigned to issue guidelines before August 3. The five Ministries of Construction, Finance, Natural Resources and Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development, and Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs will issue guidelines two days later. Localities will develop plans to merge districts and communes and submit them to competent authorities for consideration.
In mid-July, the National Assembly Standing Committee passed a resolution on the arrangement of district and commune-level administrative units for the 2023-2030 period. It is expected that in the 2023-2025 period, 33 district-level units and 1,327 commune-level units will be subject to compulsory arrangement. By 2025, provinces and cities must complete the arrangement of districts and communes with both area and population standards below 70% of the prescribed level; districts with both area and population below 20% of the prescribed level; and communes with both area and population below 300% of the prescribed level.
By 2030, localities will complete the arrangement of remaining districts and communes with both area and population below 100% of the regulations; districts with both area below 30% and population below 200% of the regulations; communes with both area below 30% and population below 300% of the regulations.
In the 2019-2021 period, 21 districts and 1,056 communes nationwide will be merged, thereby reducing 8 districts and 561 communes. The reorganization will help reduce 3,437 agencies at the commune level and 429 agencies at the district level, reducing state budget expenditures by VND 2,000 billion.
Written by Tuan - Vo Hai
Source link
Comment (0)