Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra has signed Directive No. 21 issued by the prime minister regarding the restructuring of villages and residential groups, as well as the arrangement, utilization, policies, and benefits for non full-time personnel at commune level and within villages and residential groups.

The directive states that many villages and residential groups still fail to meet regulatory criteria.

Following the 2025 restructuring of provincial and commune level administrative units, the average number of villages and residential groups under each commune level administrative unit has increased significantly, placing greater management pressure on local grassroots authorities.

The prime minister has instructed ministries, sectors, and localities to urgently implement restructuring measures to ensure villages and residential groups comply with government regulations and local management requirements under the new two tier local government system.

The restructuring process must also fully consider historical, cultural, customary, geographical, defense, security, and natural community connection factors.

It must be linked to improving grassroots governance efficiency, promoting digital transformation, supporting rapid and sustainable development, achieving double digit growth targets, and improving public service quality.

During implementation, the government emphasized the importance of maintaining political stability and public order.

Authorities were instructed to proactively monitor developments, promptly address emerging issues, prevent local hotspots or complicated incidents, preserve community solidarity traditions, and strengthen public trust in the Party and the state.

The arrangement and utilization of non full-time personnel must ensure transparency, objectivity, and compliance with regulations while restructuring villages and residential groups.

Authorities are also required to fully implement policies and benefits to stabilize the mindset and protect the rights of non full-time personnel during the restructuring and organizational consolidation process.

The prime minister also stressed the need to select and introduce non full-time personnel in villages and residential groups who possess credibility, good health, dedication, responsibility, and the ability to mobilize local residents.

The government also seeks to gradually rejuvenate grassroots personnel while improving information technology application skills, community governance capacity, and public service quality.

Residents must be fully informed and allowed to provide feedback and supervision regarding restructuring plans in accordance with laws on grassroots democracy implementation.

The prime minister instructed provincial and municipal People’s Committees to urgently review and develop comprehensive restructuring plans for villages and residential groups before submitting them to local Party committees prior to issuance.

This process must be completed before June 10.

Commune level People’s Committees are tasked with developing restructuring proposals, organizing public consultations, and submitting proposals to commune level People’s Councils for approval while ensuring transparency and public consensus during implementation.

This stage must be completed before June 30.

Non full-time commune level personnel to end operations before May 31

Directive No. 21 also states that provincial and municipal People’s Committees must terminate operations involving non full-time commune level personnel before May 31.

The prime minister requested urgent development, issuance, and implementation of plans related to the arrangement, utilization, and settlement of policies and benefits for non full-time commune level personnel.

These tasks must be completed simultaneously with the village and residential group restructuring process before June 30.

Based on staffing quotas assigned for 2026, local authorities may select and recruit qualified individuals into commune level civil servant or public employee positions if they possess appropriate qualifications, capabilities, and the ability to immediately meet job requirements.

The selection and introduction of non full-time personnel within villages and residential groups must comply with regulatory conditions, standards, and appointment procedures.

The directive also requires authorities to fully and promptly resolve policies and benefits for individuals who are no longer retained or reassigned.

The prime minister assigned the Ministry of Home Affairs to finalize the restructuring proposal related to villages and residential groups, along with policies concerning non full-time personnel at commune level and within villages and residential groups.

The ministry is also tasked with advising the government on issuing a decree regulating the organization and operation of villages and residential groups, as well as related policies for non full-time personnel, in accordance with government directives before May 26.

The Ministry of Public Security has been instructed to coordinate with the Ministry of Home Affairs and local authorities to review, consolidate, and arrange grassroots security and public order protection forces in line with the restructuring process before May 25.

Tran Thuong