Assigning provincial officials to communes: Hopes for smoother land procedures

The Dong Nai Provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment’s decision to transfer 95 officials and staff from the Provincial Land Registration Office to communes and wards to assist with land, agriculture, and environmental tasks from September 8 to December 31, 2025, has drawn significant public attention.

Officials at the Tran Bien Ward Public Administration Service Center assist residents in completing land-related procedures. Photo: Kim Lieu

Many residents hope this initiative will help resolve longstanding obstacles in issuing land-use right certificates, conducting land surveys, and processing housing and land records.

Accompanying the grassroots level

According to leaders of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, more than 280 provincial-level officials have so far been deployed to communes and wards to help carry out state management tasks, particularly in land administration, a sector currently under intense public scrutiny in many localities. The deployment aims to prevent bottlenecks, avoid delays in case processing, and reduce the need for residents to make repeated trips.

In addition to providing professional guidance, the support staff are tasked with identifying obstacles at the grassroots level and promptly reporting them to the Rapid Response Team and department leaders for resolution. This approach helps shorten processing times while reducing public frustration over prolonged cases with unclear causes.

“All the cadres and civil servants assigned in this phase are equipped with professional expertise, skills, experience, and work ethics. These ‘seconded’ officials will accompany and support localities to ensure the administrative apparatus operates smoothly and effectively. At the same time, they will promote the role of “bridging” between communes, wards, and the department in carrying out tasks, guaranteeing that the sector’s overall goals are achieved seamlessly,” shared Nguyen Tuan Anh, Provincial Party Committee member, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment.

Upon learning that provincial officials have been assigned to communes and wards to work alongside local staff in handling land-related administrative procedures, many residents expressed their delight.

Tran Quang Dat (residing in Dau Giay commune, Dong Nai province) said: I am very pleased and place my expectations on this reinforced team not in terms of numbers, but in the quality of service and the effectiveness in resolving matters for the people. Citizens hope that long-standing procedural ‘bottlenecks’ will be completely resolved, not only through directives on paper but through concrete action and the direct presence of professional officials right at the commune and ward level.

In a comment under the article “Dong Nai deploys 95 provincial Land Registration Office officials to support communes and wards” shared on Dong Nai Newspaper’s Facebook page on September 5, Facebook user Ut Ha Nguyen wrote: “Absolutely wonderful”.

Hopes for noticeable change

In the context of the administrative apparatus being streamlined according to the two-tier local government model, the deployment of professional officials to the grassroots is considered a timely and appropriate solution. Facebook user Nguyen Dinh Tam commented: “That’s the only way to meet work demands”.

Sharing the same view, Facebook user Phan Ha wrote: “A truly fitting support”.

Drawing from local reality, Facebook user Nguyen Ha noted: “Currently, Thanh Phu commune has become the new Tan Trieu ward. With vast land, a large population, and being a key economic area, local authorities are guiding residents through procedures quickly, and people are delighted”.

“Bravo, now the people can truly count on this” - commented Facebook user MC Duc Hanh.

Many residents hope that the reinforcement of officials to communes and wards this time will help speed up the processing of land records. Facebook user Minh Tuan wrote: “I hope my family’s documents will be processed soon”.

According to Nguyen Thanh Tung (residing in Tan Trieu ward), the success of having provincial officials support communes and wards in handling administrative procedures related to land, agriculture, and the environment will depend largely on the sense of responsibility and working approach of each assigned official.

“I expect that the seconded cadres and civil servants at the commune level will maximize their assigned roles and responsibilities, actively assisting localities in handling tasks with a high sense of accountability,” Tung said.

Similarly, Le Thi Ngoc Hien, a resident of Tran Bien ward, expressed her appreciation for assigning provincial officials to support communes. She emphasized that these seconded officials would serve as a “bridge” between localities and the Department of Agriculture and Environment in carrying out tasks, ensuring the common goal that the sector's tasks are resolved smoothly.

“The establishment of a Rapid Response Team by the Department of Agriculture and Environment to promptly record and resolve grassroots difficulties and bottlenecks is a very good approach. It will contribute to enhancing the effectiveness of state management in agriculture and environment across the province,” said Le Thi Ngoc Hien.

Public feedback and social media posts reflect growing interest and trust in the positive changes brought about by the operations of the two-tier local government system. The deployment of professional staff to support grassroots administrations has received strong public approval. This policy is viewed as a practical solution that contributes to meaningful improvements in the handling of administrative procedures related to land, environment, and agriculture - sectors that have a direct impact on the daily lives of many residents.

By: Kim Lieu

Translated by: Dang Huyen - Minho