Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment works in Dong Nai on two-tier local government model

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Le Cong Thanh delivers concluding remarks at the working session. Photo: Hoang Loc

Deputy Minister Le Cong Thanh noted that recently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MoAE) issued Decision No. 2971/QD-BNNMT on establishing 10 working delegations to grasp the situation, provide guidance, and resolve difficulties faced by localities in agriculture and environment during the initial stage of operating the two-tier local government model.

The working delegations focus on three main issues: restructuring administrative apparatus and units; implementing delegation, decentralization, and authority allocation; and removing obstacles in administrative procedures. This demonstrates the ministry’s commitment to supporting localities and ensuring consistency in agricultural and environmental management nationwide.

At the working session, Nguyen Tuan Anh, Member of the Provincial Party Committee and Director of the Dong Nai Department of Agriculture and Environment (DoAE), reported that over the past two months, delegated and decentralized tasks, as well as administrative procedures in agriculture and environment, have been largely stable at the provincial and commune/ward levels.

The department has directed its units to strengthen guidance and assign officials to directly assist localities. However, several challenges remain, such as determining specific land prices, identifying the responsible entity for compensation, support, and resettlement in land recovery cases, and staffing for site clearance and commune-level land valuation councils. In September 2025, the department plans to organize comprehensive training for commune-level staff managing agriculture, natural resources, and environment to help address these issues.

Member of the Provincial Party Committee and Director of the DoAE Nguyen Tuan Anh reports to the working delegation. Photo: Hoang Loc

In the environmental field, localities face difficulties in identifying entities requiring environmental permits, updating environmental registration data into the national database, procedures for sampling waste during inspections and licensing, and imposing administrative sanctions for environmental violations.

At the working session, representatives of communes and wards raised challenges in issuing land use right certificates, converting land use purposes in areas where communes were merged into wards, managing minerals, cultivation, livestock, and state management of the environment. They requested the MoAE, the Provincial People’s Committee, and the DoAE to provide clearer guidelines and regulations to prevent inconsistent application across localities.

Pham Duc Hoang, Vice Chairman of the Tran Bien Ward People’s Committee, shares his opinion at the working session. Photo: Hoang Loc

Concluding the working session, Deputy Minister Le Cong Thanh acknowledged the difficulties faced by local authorities during the initial implementation of delegated and decentralized tasks, especially those related to land management.

He took note of feedback and requested specialized units to issue written responses to address the challenges raised. The ministry will continue to accompany and guide localities to ensure the effective implementation of the two-tier local government model in agriculture and environment.

Nguyen Quang Phuong, Party Secretary and Chairman of the People’s Council of Tan Trieu Ward, speaks at the working session. Photo: Hoang Loc

Deputy Minister Le Cong Thanh also suggested that localities consider assigning certain tasks to organizations and enterprises through socialization, issuing handbooks and coordination regulations to ensure streamlined and effective task implementation, and enhancing training to improve professional capacity at the grassroots while applying technology in handling work.

By: Hoang Loc

Translated by: M.Nguyet-Thu Ha