The proposal is included in a draft government decree regulating the organization and operation of villages and neighborhood residential groups, as well as policies for part-time personnel working at the grassroots level. The draft is currently under appraisal by the Ministry of Justice.

According to the draft decree, the establishment, reorganization, dissolution and renaming of villages and neighborhood residential groups must comply with legal regulations and ensure transparency, democracy and public participation.

The proposal also states that naming and renaming should align with local natural conditions, socio-economic characteristics, population distribution, customs and community aspirations.

Authorities are also seeking to reorganize villages and neighborhood units that fail to meet the proposed criteria in an effort to streamline administrative structures and improve operational efficiency at the grassroots level.

The draft specifies different household thresholds for villages and neighborhood residential groups depending on each region, based on population concentration and governance needs following the restructuring of administrative units and the implementation of a two-tier local government system.

Under the proposal, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City would require villages to have at least 500 households and neighborhood residential groups at least 700 households.

In the northern midland and mountainous region, villages would need at least 150 households and neighborhood groups at least 300 households.

In the Red River Delta, the proposed minimum is 400 households for villages and 550 households for neighborhood groups.

In the north-central region, villages would require at least 350 households and neighborhood units 450 households.

For the south-central coastal region and the Central Highlands, villages would need at least 350 households and neighborhood groups at least 500 households. The provinces of Gia Lai, Lam Dong and Dak Lak would have lower thresholds, with villages requiring at least 300 households and neighborhood groups at least 450 households.

In the southeastern region and the Mekong Delta, villages would need at least 400 households while neighborhood groups would require at least 550 households.

The draft decree also requires villages and neighborhood residential groups to have essential socio-economic infrastructure serving community activities.

Provincial-level authorities would be allowed to set appropriate scales for villages and neighborhood groups in border, island or geographically fragmented areas, or in localities with special conditions.

Compared with current regulations, the proposed household thresholds are higher across all regions.

Regarding implementation procedures, the draft largely retains the existing process but adds revisions to align with the current Law on Organization of Local Government and the Law on Grassroots Democracy Implementation.

Under the proposal, commune-level People’s Committees would be responsible for drafting reorganization plans, collecting public feedback through legally appropriate forms, and compiling and responding to opinions before submitting the plans to local People’s Councils for approval.

In areas without local government councils, commune-level authorities would prepare and approve the plans under their jurisdiction.

Tran Thuong