Prime Minister Le Minh Hung said Vietnam's central leadership has no policy to pursue another nationwide merger of commune- and ward-level administrative units, emphasizing that any future adjustments will be considered based on the actual needs and development priorities of individual localities.

Speaking during a working session with the Standing Committee of the Phu Tho Provincial Party Committee on July 14, the prime minister clarified several issues related to the implementation of Vietnam's two-tier local government model and the recent restructuring of commune- and ward-level administrative units.

He stressed that there is no nationwide plan to continue merging communes and wards.

According to the prime minister, following the one-year preliminary review of the new governance model and ahead of the upcoming Third Plenum of the Party Central Committee, the central leadership will carefully examine reports evaluating the implementation of the two-tier political and local government system.

PM Le Minh Hung said local authorities should proactively assess their own circumstances based on practical conditions, development requirements and the legal criteria governing the classification of administrative units before proposing any adjustments.

If a locality determines that reorganizing or modifying its administrative boundaries is necessary to support development objectives and comply with national classification standards, it should prepare a proposal and submit it to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Party Central Committee's Organization Commission, and the government for consideration and approval under the appropriate legal procedures.

During the meeting, the prime minister also announced that the relevant authorities have agreed in principle to increase allowances for commune- and ward-level officials and civil servants in the immediate term.

He added that later this year, government agencies are expected to submit a comprehensive proposal on salaries and allowances across Vietnam's political system.

Following the merger of the former provinces of Vinh Phuc, Hoa Binh and Phu Tho, the newly expanded Phu Tho Province now has an economy valued at approximately USD 16 billion, ranking sixth nationwide.

The province currently covers more than 9,300 square kilometers, has a population of about 4 million, and comprises 148 communes and wards, making it the locality with the third-largest number of commune- and ward-level administrative units in Vietnam.

Duc Hoang