Two-tier local government model: From expectations to operational challenges (Part 2)

PART 2: CLOSE TO THE PEOPLE, CLOSE TO PRACTICAL REALITY

The two-tier local government model is gradually demonstrating its effectiveness in Dong Nai as residents and businesses are now able to have their administrative matters resolved directly at the grassroots level. This helps reduce travel time and administrative costs, while local authorities become more proactive in handling issues and respond more quickly to problems arising in practice.

Proactively handling issues at the grassroots level

In the early days of April 2026, at the Public Administrative Service Center of Phuoc Tan Ward, Tran Thi Ly, a resident of Phuoc Tan Ward, completed procedures related to land records in less than half a day. “In the past, I had to travel to the city land registration office for this procedure, spend a lot of time waiting and still sometimes could not finish it. Now the same procedure can be done at the ward office much faster and more conveniently,” she said.

Residents take queue numbers for administrative procedures at Phuoc Tan Ward. Photo: Hoang Loc

Nguyen Quoc Vuong, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Phuoc Tan Ward, noted that land administration is an area involving numerous procedures, prompting the ward to arrange two service counters to meet residents’ needs. “I believe the two-tier local government model brings significant convenience to people, especially in procedures such as first-time land use rights certificates and land-use conversion registration. Without having to go through many administrative layers, processing time has been shortened while avoiding delays and the shifting of responsibility,” he said.

Sharing a similar view, Le Van Binh, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Xuan Que Commune, said that clearer decentralization has enabled grassroots authorities to become more proactive in governance.

“Issues under local authority can now be decided more quickly without seeking approval from higher levels. Of course, this also means greater responsibility. Grassroots officials therefore must thoroughly understand regulations, stay close to local realities and resolve matters more promptly and effectively,” he explained.

Leaders of Binh Minh Commune present marriage certificates to residents under the “No-Appointment Friday” administrative model. Photo: Ho Thao

Regarding site clearance for development projects, Nguyen Van Hai, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Hung Thinh Commune,  Chairman of the commune Farmers’ Association, said the locality established two working groups operating throughout weekends and holidays.

“The groups directly visited households to provide explanations, mobilize support and promptly resolve concerns. Thanks to this approach, the inventory process for assets proceeded smoothly, and most residents agreed to hand over land for the Ho Chi Minh City’s Ring Road 4 Project. This also reduced pressure on mobilization teams and improved efficiency,” he said.

Meanwhile, in Loc Ninh Ward, the locality achieved a 99% public investment disbursement rate in 2025. According to local authorities, the key was assigning clear responsibility to leaders. Chairman of the Ward People’s Committee directly supervised capital allocation based on priorities and implementation capacity, ensuring no scattered investment. Funding was only allocated to projects that had completed more than 80% of site clearance and fully prepared investment procedures so they could begin immediately once capital was approved. For each project, the Ward People's Committee assigned "clear personnel, clear tasks, clear progress," assigning officials to monitor the entire process from investment preparation to final settlement. At the same time, ward leaders regularly conducted on-site inspections, promptly resolving difficulties directly at the construction site, contributing to accelerating construction progress and capital disbursement.

Residents and businesses reap benefits

One of the clearest benefits of decentralization and delegation to grassroots authorities is the significant reduction in time and costs for residents and businesses when carrying out administrative procedures. Many dossiers that previously required travel to district or provincial levels can now be handled directly at the local level. The combination of “bringing services closer to the grassroots” and expanding electronic administrative services is especially meaningful for residents living far from urban centers.

Nguyen Kim Thu, a resident of Tam Phuoc Ward, shared her experience applying for social housing. “Previously, I had to visit the commune office for housing condition verification, then travel to the provincial Land Registration Office for confirmation. Now I can submit the entire application online from home and receive the result after a few days without repeated travel or waiting,” she said.

City Party Committee member, Vice Chairman of Dong Nai City People's Committee Ho Van Ha hands over the decisions to assign social housing project investors to businesses. Photo: Hoang Loc

For businesses, faster administrative processing also helps reduce costs and facilitates project implementation. Vu Hong Minh, Chairman and General Director of Water Electrical Mechanical Installation and Construction Joint Stock Company, an investor in a real estate project in Phuoc An Commune, said administrative procedures have become faster and more transparent, particularly in matters related to land clearance and investment approval. “As a result, our project was able to break ground in early 2026 and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2028,” he noted.

Duong Van Bac, General Director of Novaland, a major investor in Dong Nai, said that the legal obstacles surrounding the Aqua City project in Long Hung Ward were finally resolved in 2025 after years of difficulties.

“This is clear evidence of Dong Nai’s spirit of ‘listening – resolving – acting – delivering tangible results.’ The persistence and support of city authorities and departments have helped investors overcome difficulties, strengthened confidence and encouraged businesses to continue contributing to the development of a modern ecological urban area,” he said.

Beyond administrative reform, the two-tier local government model has also improved the ability to respond quickly to emerging issues. Because officials handling matters are closer to residents, disputes involving land, illegal construction and environmental pollution can now be identified and addressed early at the grassroots level, helping prevent the formation of social “hotspots.” As a result, public trust in local authorities has gradually been strengthened.

Administrative reform tied to better public service delivery

A notable point of administrative reform under the two-tier local government model is that it aims not only to “work faster” but also to “serve better.” In many localities, officials and civil servants have shown positive changes in attitude and working style, taking residents’ satisfaction as the measure of performance.

Le Ngoc Tien, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Trang Bom Ward, said the locality considers administrative reform linked with improved public service delivery for residents and businesses a key mission.

“In the coming time, the ward will continue simplifying procedures, shortening processing times and promoting information technology applications toward building a transparent and service-oriented administration,” he said.

At the same time, the ward has pledged to improve the investment and business environment by publicly disclosing planning information, land funds and priority projects, while proactively preparing clean land and technical infrastructure to attract investment in commerce, services, urban infrastructure, housing, education, healthcare and environmentally friendly projects. At the same time, the role of people is promoted in participating in urban management, maintaining order, aesthetics, and improving the quality of life.

Le Thanh Tuan, Director of the City Land Registration Office, noted that after 10 communes were upgraded to wards and Dong Nai officially became a city, the number of land-related dossiers increased significantly. The office has proactively updated cadastral maps and records to reflect new administrative units and land classifications in accordance with regulations.

Service counters were also arranged at administrative service centers in wards, communes and the city level, while information technology has been fully applied in receiving and processing dossiers, transferring tax information and returning results. The locality has also implemented a non-boundary administrative model citywide, ensuring efficient work. When the number of applications increases, the unit will work with local authorities to add more reception and results counters, and also assign more experienced civil servants to guide and support people during peak periods, aiming to minimize errors, reduce travel time, and the need for people to supplement documents, ensuring timely reception and return of land-related applications without causing backlogs.

Leaders of the Department of Agriculture and Environment inspect land-related administrative services at the grassroots level. Photo: Hoang Loc

Although positive results have been achieved, reality also shows that some localities still face difficulties in implementation, especially in areas such as land administration. Some areas lack specialized personnel, while staff capabilities remain uneven. This situation highlights the need for continued training, professional standardization and more appropriate staffing levels in densely populated and key development areas. It also underscores the importance of strengthening inspection and supervision mechanisms to ensure decentralization goes hand in hand with inspection and oversight. If these challenges are addressed effectively, the two-tier local government model is expected to produce even more positive outcomes and lay a stronger foundation for building a modern, flexible administration capable of meeting the development requirements of Dong Nai in the new era.

Since the implementation of the two-tier local government model on July 1, 2025, hundreds of administrative procedures have been delegated to the commune level, mainly in the fields of land administration, justice, construction and population affairs. This decentralization has helped reduce time and travel costs for residents while improving the effectiveness of state management at the grassroots level.

By Hoang Loc - Translated by Mai Nga, Thu Ha