Speaking on the morning of October 26 during a National Assembly group discussion on the socio-economic situation, Minister Tra provided an update on the reorganization of district and commune administrative units.

The minister explained that this is a significant, challenging, complex, and sensitive initiative, but many localities have made great efforts to implement it.

Out of 54 localities required to reorganize district and commune-level administrative units, 51 have done so. The three remaining provinces - Binh Phuoc, Dien Bien, and Lai Chau - have yet to comply due to a lack of sufficient standards and conditions.

The National Assembly Standing Committee issued resolutions for 38 localities and received applications from 10 others. Ha Tinh and Ninh Binh are slightly delayed as they are expanding the urban area of an existing district-level administrative unit in rural areas.

Under this reorganization, 38 district-level units will be restructured, reducing nine district-level administrative units, while 1,176 commune-level units will be reorganized, cutting 562 commune-level units.

This will significantly reduce the number of administrative and public service units, eliminating surplus staff and public offices.

Minister Tra highlighted that some localities, such as Nam Dinh, have excelled in this initiative. The province reorganized two district-level units and 79 commune-level units, reducing 51 commune-level administrative units. Hanoi reorganized 109 commune-level units, while Ho Chi Minh City and Hai Phong also made substantial reorganizational efforts.

"Where there is strong commitment, there is success, with public support. However, in places lacking decisiveness, especially among leaders, the objectives have not been achieved," Minister Tra stated.

She acknowledged that some localities are hesitant due to the complexity and sensitivity of the task.

"Globally, there is no other country with such a vast and extensive administrative structure as Vietnam… Nor is there a country where recurrent expenditure on the organizational structure and personnel is as high as in Vietnam, with 62% of recurrent spending dedicated to administration and staffing, leaving little for investment," she pointed out.

Minister Tra emphasized, "General Secretary To Lam is highly determined. We must execute this initiative comprehensively across the entire system, including the state administrative apparatus, the National Assembly, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, political organizations, and Party agencies—particularly administrative units—to demonstrate readiness, not merely stopping at district and commune-level reorganization."

She urged all units to support this policy and expedite implementation to align with the timelines for Party Congresses at various levels. She expects the remaining two localities to complete their reorganizational tasks by November 15 at the latest.

On salary policy, the minister acknowledged the difficulty but noted that the government has allocated approximately 700 trillion VND for salary policies, social insurance benefits, pension adjustments, and allowances for people with meritorious service, reaching 930 trillion VND by 2026.

However, she recognized existing challenges and noted that the government had reported to the Politburo under the guidance of Conclusion 83.

The Ministry of Home Affairs will continue to review salaries for administrative staff, teachers, especially preschool teachers, and healthcare workers.

"We will conduct a comprehensive review to propose adjustments to allowances, especially in alignment with Central Committee resolutions and the Politburo's conclusions, to ensure better support for specialized groups, securing a better livelihood for them," Minister Tra stressed.

Looking at the broader picture, Minister Tra noted that two adjustments to the base salary level have resulted in a 50.8% increase, with a 30% raise this year, which she described as a significant step.

Tran Thuong